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1
Heat the oven to 150 °C. Cut the pumpkin into large wedges; do not peel. Lay cut-side down on a parchment-lined tray and roast for 1 hour 30 minutes. The flesh is ready when it yields completely under pressure and the cut edges have begun to caramelise to a deep amber; the sugar must be fully concentrated before the purée is made.
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2
Scoop the flesh from the skin and pass it through a fine sieve or mouli to obtain a smooth purée. Weigh the purée: the recipe proportions are set to 500 g. Spread the purée in a wide pan over low heat and stir for 3–4 minutes to drive off any remaining surface moisture. The purée is dry enough when it pulls cleanly from the sides of the pan and holds its shape briefly when the spoon is lifted.
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3
Remove from the heat and allow to cool to below hand temperature. Fold in the beaten eggs, Parmigiano, crushed amaretti, and mascarpone in that order, stirring gently between each addition. This is where the dish lives or dies: the amaretti must remain a whisper — present but subordinate — and the mixture must read unmistakably as pumpkin. Taste at this stage; the balance of sweet pumpkin, faint almond, and savour from the cheese must be in equilibrium before the batter is committed to the moulds.
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4
Butter four individual dariole or timbale moulds thoroughly. Divide the mixture evenly among them. Set the moulds in a deep roasting tray and pour boiling water around them to reach halfway up the sides. Bake at 160 °C for 35–40 minutes. The sformato is set when a fine skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the surface no longer trembles at the centre when the mould is nudged.
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5
Remove the moulds from the bain-marie and rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes. The sformato is fragile when hot and will collapse if turned out before this rest is complete. Run a thin knife around the inner edge of each mould, invert onto a warmed plate, and lift the mould away with a steady, unhurried motion. The turned-out sformato should hold a clean shape and carry a pale gold surface.
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6
Place 2 pieces of Mostarda di Cremona alongside each sformato and serve immediately. The heat of the mustard syrup builds slowly after the first mouthful; do not add more mostarda at the table before that delayed heat has had a moment to register.