Tortelli di Zucca Mantovani con Burro e Salvia
Lombardia — Mantova
Mantova's ancient sweet-savoury pasta — half-moon pasta filled with a mixture of roasted Mantovana pumpkin (butternut squash is an acceptable substitute), crushed amaretti biscuits, mostarda di Cremona (fruit mustard), Parmigiano Reggiano, and nutmeg. The filling is a time capsule of medieval Lombard court cooking — sweet (pumpkin, amaretti), sharp-hot (mostarda), savoury (Parmigiano), aromatic (nutmeg) all coexisting in a single bite. Dressed only with sage-scented brown butter.