STARTER: Pumkin makes an unusal and delicious filling for this first course pasta choice.

TORTELLINI WITH PUMPKIN FILLING:

pasta dough:

    2 eggs + 2 egg yolks

    2 cups all purpose flour                              

    pinch salt

filling:

    1 lb. pumpkin                                                         

    1 tsp. ground nutmeg                                              

    1/8 lb. macaroons                                       

    3/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese

   ½ cup butter                                                

    1 tsp. cinnamon

    ½ tsp. each ground ginger & cumin

    salt and pepper                                           

    1 tbsp. olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease a large baking dish.

Cut pumpkin into wedges, about 1-inch thick and arrange them in the baking dish. Sprinkle with oil, cover with foil and bake for 40- 50 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool.

 

Peel pumpkins, and pass the flesh through a fine sieve into a large bowl. Add in the crushed macaroons, 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese, spices and salt and pepper to taste. Combine well into a semi-firm mixture.

 

Meanwhile, make pasta dough:  Measure and mound the flour on a smooth flat work surface. Make a well in the center of the flour. Drop the eggs, salt and olive oil into the well. With a fork, beat together the eggs and oil and begin to incorporate the flour into egg mixture, starting with the inner rim of the well.As you expand the well, keep mixing the flour and egg mixture and working it until a cohesive mass is formed. Lightly flour the board and start kneading this with both hands, using the palm of your hands. Continue kneading for 5-10 minutes until dough becomes smooth and quite elastic and a little sticky. Wrap the dough in plastic, or covered by an inverted bowl, and allow it to rest for 1 hour, at room temperature.

 Roll pasta dough out thinly. Cut into 3-4-inch squares. Spoon into each square of pasta some pumpkin filling, about the size of a walnut. Fold each square into a triangle; and press the edges firmly to seal. Wrap the 2 corners of the triangle into the middle, moistening the edges with water to stick, to make into tortellini.

 

Cook tortellini in a large pot of boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Arrange 3 on each warm serving plate. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and melted butter. Serve piping hot as a starter course.