For this sumptuous pumpkin pasta dish from Stephen Crane, pumpkin, sage and chestnuts combine in a rich and buttery autumnal tortellini. This homemade tortellini recipe makes a comforting meal or a welcome starter for friends coming to dinner. To make this recipe vegetarian, omit the Parmesan and opt for a vegetarian substitute, like Old Winchester. See our vegetarian cheese post on our blog for more information
Method
1.
To make the pasta, blitz eggs and saffron in food processor until smooth. Sieve flour into the bowl of an electric mixer. Pass the egg mix through a sieve, on to the flour, being careful to keep the egg from going around the side of the bowl
2.
Mix on medium speed for 8 minutes, stopping half way to scrape the bowl. Turn out and gently knead to bring together
3.
For the roast pumpkin, first prepare the pumpkin. Peel, deseed and cut into a 1cm dice, keeping the off-cuts for the purée
4.
Preheat oven to 200ºC/Gas mark 6. Place diced pumpkin in a tray with 25g butter, a drizzle of olive oil, the garlic clove, 3 springs of sage, and then season with salt and sugar, cover and roast 15-20 minutes until tender. Remove to cool
5.
For the purée – cook the remaining pumpkin off cuts in boiling salted water until tender, about 5 minutes
6.
While the pumpkin is cooking, heat 50g butter with the remaining sage until it turns a nut-brown colour – immediately pass through a sieve into a cold pan
7.
When the pumpkin is cooked, blitz in a blender on full power, add the sage beurre noisette and season. Pass the purée through a fine sieve and cool.
8.
Roll pasta out to thinnest setting. Brush with beaten egg. Place 1 teaspoon of the filling in the middle of the pasta sheets 10cm apart
9.
Cut pasta out between dots of filling and carefully fold pasta over to seal filling, pressing to remove any trapped air bubbles
10.
Cut the pasta into semi circles with a 7cm round cutter. Brush one corner with beaten egg and seal to the other corner by wrapping around your little finger to create the classic tortellini shape
11.
Dip in melted clarified butter and arrange on greaseproof paper until ready to serve
12.
Cook the tortellini in gently simmering water for 4 minutes
13.
In a frying pan heat a little oil and fry the remaining roast pumpkin over a high heat, until just starting to colour. Add butter and cook to nut brown. Just before serving add chestnuts and sage
14.
Warm the purée and spoon a circle onto a warmed plate, top with tortellini, then the roast pumpkin, sage and chestnuts, finish by topping with some pea shoots and a squeeze of lemon juice
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