Filled with a creamy pumpkin filling and paired with the freshness of mandarin, they are the perfect combination of strictly seasonal fruit and vegetables. Michelin-starred chef Davide Puleio shares a recipe to try immediately or bookmark for the holidays, including invaluable professional advice.

Pumpkin, Mandarin, Turmeric, Red Prawns Tortelli

For the pasta

1 kg of type Zero flour
660 g of egg yolk

Method

Prepare the egg pasta using a stand mixer and let it rest in the refrigerator with plastic wrap for about two hours before use.

For the pumpkin filling

1 pumpkin
1 clove of garlic
1 white onion
1 bunch of thyme
100 g of butter

Method

Clean and peel the pumpkin, cut it into large pieces, season with salt, herbs, and butter; cover with parchment paper and aluminum foil and bake in the oven at 180 °C for 1 and a half hours. Once cooled, mash it with a food mill and season with thyme and additional salt if needed.

For the pumpkin seeds emulsion

100 g of pumpkin seeds
300 g of water
0.5 g of salt
1 lemon
50 g of extra virgin olive oil
150 g of seed oil
1 poached egg

Method

Meanwhile, take the pumpkin seeds previously soaked in cold water and place them in a blender; add 3 times the weight of water and blend at high speed for 1 minute, strain and squeeze well with a cheesecloth, then heat the liquid in a saucepan to a temperature of 85 °C. At this point, strain and keep only the coagulated protein part: this will be the base of the emulsion with extra virgin olive oil, seed oil, salt, lemon, and egg.

Plate composition

Fresh mandarin as needed (cut into segments and for the juice)
Red prawns as needed, previously seasoned with oil and salt
Other pumpkin seeds as needed
Turmeric root

Method

Roll out the pasta to the desired thickness and fill it as desired, cook it in a pot with water and salt, sauté it in a pan with previously obtained mandarin juice, butter, and sage, reducing until well lacquered.

Arrange the pumpkin seed emulsion on the plate, the freshly cut mandarin, the pumpkin seeds already toasted in a pan, grated turmeric root, and red prawns seasoned with oil and salt; complete the dish by placing the pumpkin tortelli neatly.

Photo: @Alessandro Barattelli