Lombardia
A baked pumpkin porridge-cake from the Mantova area — slow-cooked mashed winter squash mixed with crumbled amaretti, mostarda di Mantova (candied fruit in mustard syrup) and Grana Padano, then baked in a terracotta dish until set and golden. This sweet-savoury side is quintessentially Lombard in its use of the agrodolce (sweet-sour) register.
Sweet, earthy, bitter and mustardy — the agrodolce combination that defines Mantovan cooking; the amaretti give crunch and almond bitterness; the mostarda adds heat and tang
{"Use Mantovana or Butternut squash — they are dense and dry enough; watery squash varieties produce a loose, unset result","Roast the squash rather than boiling — this concentrates the sugars and drives off excess moisture","The ratio of amaretti to squash is critical — too many amaretti overwhelm; too few lose the sweet-bitter contrast","Fold mostarda di Mantova (or a substitute of finely chopped candied quince with a drop of mustard oil) through gently","Bake at 180°C until the top is lightly golden and the centre no longer wobbles — approximately 35 minutes"}
{"A grating of fresh nutmeg into the squash mixture adds the traditional Lombard spice note","Grease the terracotta dish generously with butter before filling — the edges get the best caramelisation","Leftovers can be sliced and fried in butter the next day — they develop a crispier, richer character"}
{"Using boiled, watery squash that never sets properly in the oven","Over-adding mostarda — the mustard heat should be detectable but subtle, not dominant","Serving hot — this dish is best at room temperature when the texture firms and the flavours settle"}
La Cucina Mantovana — Principi e Noblesse