Ingredients:

Note: The portions are based on a big Italian family dinner, so proportion to your liking.

• 10 lb. Butternut squash
• 5 lb.Ricotta
• Optional- 1 cup Mostarda Sperlari (sweet candied cherries, pears, melons, figs, apricots infused with mustard seed oil. An Italian specialty!) use at discretion.
• 1 lb. Amaretti cookies crumble
• 2 lb.Parmesan
• 2 lb. Panko bead crumbs
• 2 tbs. salt and pepper
• 1 tbs. Nutmeg
• 2 and 1/5 lbs baking flour
• ½ cup semolina Flour
• ¼ cup Olive Oil

Filling Preparation:

Cut the squash in half,  brush some olive oil on with salt and pepper, lay on sheet pan on a wire rack and bake at 300 F˚about 45 min to an hour. When the squash is cooked, remove the pulp with a spoon, pass through a food processor and set in a cheesecloth. Tie it in a small bag and put it in a bowl in the refrigerator for about 8 to 12 hours while the excess water drips out. If you don’t get rid of the excess water, you lose the flavor.

Cut open the cheesecloth and mix squash in a bowl with a little bit of salt, a sprinkle of the panko, some of the almond cookie crumbles, Parmesan and one egg. Add in the Mostarda if you have it, chopped up. Mix until it isn’t runny and has a nice creamy consistency.

Pasta Dough Preparation:

Mix the flours together, then add olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and eggs. Mix with your hands until you get a nice doughy consistency. Let the dough rest for 30 mintutes. Then roll it out nice and flat in a pasta maker or by hand and cut into squares

Making the Cappellaci:

Use a pastry bag to place the filling onto the pasta squares. Then fold it diagonally and shape it like Capellacci. (see photo)

Then boil the capellacci pasta until cooked. Meanwhile, brown butter in the pan, add some chopped uncooked butternut squash with some sage and sauté. Add some vegetable stock to avoid greasiness. Then add in the capellaci pasta for just a quick toss until the pasta is fully done and covered in the sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Plate in a row and add some Amaretti almond cookie crumble and Mostarda fruit for garnish. Top with the sauce from the pan and some shaved Parmesan, crispy sage and enjoy!

For more signature dishes and cooking demos, check out:

• Jordan’s recent Interview with Chef Curt Robair 
• Peter’s travel tip on Interesting Travel Recipes
• Culinary QA with Bahamas Chef
• Southern Cuisine with Atlanta Foodie Nealy Dozier

By Jordan Whitley for PeterGreenberg.com.  

Jordan Whitley is a seasoned adventure traveler, photographer and action sports host currently based in Birmingham, Alabama. Visit her on the Web at www.jordanwhitley.com or at www.jordanwhitleycanvas.carbonmade.com.