Mantua, Emilia-Romagna
Mantua's sweet-savoury filled pasta: egg pasta filled with roasted butternut squash purée, crushed amaretti biscuits, mostarda di Cremona (candied fruit in mustard syrup), Parmigiano Reggiano, and nutmeg. The filling is a deliberate Renaissance-era sweet-savoury combination that was once fashionable throughout the Po Valley courts. Served traditionally with melted butter and sage, never with cream. The mustard-fruit in the filling creates a warmth that is not conventional spice heat — a unique flavour register.
Sweet squash; bitter amaretti almond note; mustard heat from mostarda; Parmigiano savouriness; butter-sage finish
{"Roast squash whole in the oven until completely soft (60 min at 180°C) — do not boil; moisture ruins the filling texture","Mostarda di Cremona fruit chopped fine — the mustard syrup provides heat; fruit provides sweetness and texture","Crushed amaretti (3–4 biscuits per 500g squash) gives the distinctive bitter-almond note","Filling must be dense and dry — wet filling bursts the pasta; reduce on low heat if too moist","Pasta very thin (1mm); tortelli sealed tightly with no air pockets; rest on semolina-dusted cloth"}
{"Mantuan butternut is sweeter than standard varieties — if using Hokkaido or Delica squash, reduce the amaretti slightly","The filling improves overnight in the fridge — make it the day before for best flavour integration","A few drops of the mostarda syrup drizzled on the butter sauce at service intensifies the flavour without adding whole pieces","Some Mantuan families add a pinch of Savoiardi crumbs alongside the amaretti for texture complexity"}
{"Boiling or steaming the squash — creates waterlogged filling that bursts pasta during cooking","Omitting mostarda — the mustard heat is the element that prevents the dish tasting like dessert","Wet filling — must be workable as a firm paste, not a purée","Serving with cream sauce — the delicate sweet-savoury filling is overwhelmed; butter and sage only"}
La Cucina Mantovana — Giuseppe Martini