Pumpkin meets pasta
| FAYE LEVY , THE JERUSALEM POST | Oct. 18, 2007 |
Considering that pumpkins originated in the New World, I am impressed by how successfully this peripatetic squash has been matched with pasta, rice and grains around the globe.
Recently I was vividly reminded of pumpkin's role in Italian cuisine. I enjoyed a pumpkin lasagna at Fantasy of Flavors, an event in Los Angeles showcasing creations of some of the city's top chefs, and benefitting the Careers through Culinary Arts Program, which promotes culinary employment opportunities for youth.
The lasagna, a specialty of La Terza restaurant, was delicate and delicious thin pasta sheets layered with creamy, subtly seasoned pumpkin. Chef Jeanluca Sarti told me the ingredients are just butternut squash (dalorit) - which resembles sweet pumpkin - lasagna noodles, a little bechamel sauce (basic cream sauce), Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. The dish was splendid in its simplicity.
Italians match pumpkin with pasta in several ways. Often they turn it into a filling for stuffed pastas like ravioli. One traditional filling, which is quite sweet, calls for mixing baked pumpkin with crushed amaretti cookies and diced candied fruit. Mary Ann Esposito, author of Ciao Italia - Bringing Italy Home, fills tortelloni with baked pumpkin and grated apple, then serves it with meat sauce. Chef Mario Batali, who wrote The Babbo Cookbook, opts for a savory stuffing for his round ravioli, roasting pumpkin or sweet squash with olive oil, then blending it with Parmesan, nutmeg and balsamic vinegar. The sauce is melted butter with fresh sage leaves, and for a subtle hint of sweetness, there's a garnish of a grated amaretti cookie. Batali also cooks orzo (rice- or barley-shaped pasta) with pumpkin, accenting the dish with olive oil, honey and vinegar.
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