The “Cappellacci” are a larger variation of ravioli/tortelloni, i.e. pasta dumpling stuffed with various fillings and folded so as to resemble a hat; very popular in Ferrara area, Emilia Romagna.

Since they are quite large, an average serving is about 5 pieces, (or more).
The following ingredients are enough for 40 cappellacci and Buon Appetibilis!

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Recipe: Sara Scutti’s Pumpkin Cappellacci Pasta

Ingredients:
Fresh egg pasta dough

• 400 g of durum wheat semolina
• 4 eggs
• A generous pinch of sea salt

Filling

• 1.5 kg of Pumpkin (or butternut squash)
• A generous pinch of Nutmeg
• 200 g of grated Parmesan or Abruzzo semi-hard Pecorino cheese

Sauce

• 250 g Butter (as required)
• Fresh sage leaves
• Sea salt as required

Decoration

• 100 g unsalted pistachios

Preparation:
Slice the pumpkin, with a spoon scrape out the fibers and the seeds. Put the slices onto a baking tray covered with greaseproof paper and bake for about 60 minutes at 200° C (cooking time depends on how soft the pumpkin is), then set aside to cool.

Prepare the pasta dough – Place the flour on a board. Make a well and crack the eggs into it. Beat the eggs with a fork until smooth. Than, using the tips of your fingers, mix the eggs with the flour until everything is combined. Knead together and leave it to rest for about 30 minutes.

To prepare the stuffing – Peel the roast pumpkin and smash it with a fork into a bowl; add the cheese, the salt and the nutmeg, (which will tone down the sweetish flavour of the pumpkin). Mix until you get a firm paste; in case you can add some breadcrumbs to thicken.

Roll out the dough very thin and, with a cutting wheel, cut the dough by 6 cm squares. In the middle of each square, put a spoonful of pumpkin filling (you can either use a spoon or a pastry bag).

Now fold the dough to get a triangle shape, press firmly on both sides so that the dough sticks together, fold inwards one side of the triangle and turn your “cappellaccio” around your index finger. Seal the two edges as if it were a tortellino.

Boil your cappellacci in salted boiling water for a few minutes, until they come afloat.

To prepare the sauce – In a sauté pan, melt the butter with sage to color. Meanwhile chop up the pistachios.

Just before serving – Sauté the cappellacci in the butter sauce. Serve hot with a generous sprinkle of ground pistachios and… Buon Appetibilis!