HELLO FALL! I’ve been waiting for you and your splendid bounty of crisp apples, juicy plums and pears, sweet root vegetables and colorful array of pumpkin and squash.
I am ready to put on warm sweaters and cozy up indoors spending my days developing new recipes and cooking warm soups, homemade breads, pizza dough and homemade pasta. This particular pasta recipe for butternut squash cappellacci is dear to my heart. It’s what Mr. Italicano’s Italian mom and aunt would prepare on Sunday lunches and for special holidays. It’s the dish that I would always go back for seconds, sometimes thirds, because it’s Just. That. Good. It’s bathed in sage infused butter and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. If I’m by myself, I lick my bowl.
In the northern region of Emilia-Romagna there are two famous pumpkin/squash pasta dishes: tortelli di zucca from Mantova and cappellacci di zucca from Ferrara. The main difference is the name, shape and filling. In Mantova, the filling typically consists of cooked pumpkin, ground amaretti cookies, mostarda (candied fruit and mustard-flavored syrup), Parmigiano Reggiano and nutmeg. You can find them shaped in squares or like cappellacci, whose name is derived from the dialect caplaz which means “little hats” and is in reference to the straw hats once worn by farmers who worked the fields. The cappellacci di zucca from Ferrara, on the other hand, typically uses butternut squash, a little bread crumbs and does not include the amaretti or mostarda.
I am so excited to have two upcoming cooking classes this weekend where I will teach how to make this authentic Italian pasta dish! It is the ultimate Italian comfort food for the fall. If you are in the Seattle area, come make some mouthwatering homemade pasta with me!
October 6th, 11:00am-1:30pm
I will be holding a cooking class at Whisk, a beautiful store and cooking school in Bellevue. In this fun and interactive cooking class each student will start with flour and eggs to create their own pasta dough then will learn how to cut and form two pasta shapes–cappellacci and tagliatelle. We’ll then create Roasted Butternut Squash Cappellacci with a Sage Infused Butter Sauce and Tagliatelle with Porcini Mushrooms and Cream Sauce. You’ll learn the secrets of homemade Italian pasta, made simple so you can recreate these recipes again and again at home. Discover more details and sign up here.
October 7th, 1:00-3:30pm
I will be holding a class with my dear friend Lisa Caruccio, the owner of Caruccio’s, a stunning culinary event center on Mercer Island. In this interactive, hands-on demo, you’ll learn the basic techniques to making two pasta shapes tagliatelle and cappellacci. I will be showing how to make Butternut Squash Cappellacci with a Sage Infused Butter Sauce, and Lisa will demonstrate how to make Chestnut Tagliatelle with a Light Cream Sauce. You can relax around the 21ft counter with a glass of wine and new friends, and jump in to participate with various preparations if you’d like. Discover more details and sign up here.
MORE FALL CLASSES & DEMOS COMING UP!
WHISK
OCTOBER 16TH, 12PM-1PM
LUNCH & LEARN – ITALIAN FALL COUNTRYSIDE LUNCH
Enjoy a cooking demonstration, 2 course Italian lunch and glass of wine. MORE DETAILS.
-Arugula Salad with Burrata, Pears and Walnuts
-Farro Beet Soup with Greek Yogurt, Pistachios and Orange Zest
WHISK
OCTOBER 23RD, 12-1PM
LUNCH & LEARN – ITALIAN FALL COUNTRYSIDE LUNCH
Enjoy a cooking demonstration, 2 course Italian lunch and glass of wine. MORE DETAILS.
-Plum Caprese Salad
-Homemade Turmeric Tagliatelle with Pumpkin, Toasted Walnuts and Crispy Sage Ribbons
WHISK
OCTOBER 30th, 12PM-1PM
LUNCH & LEARN – ITALIAN FALL COUNTRYSIDE LUNCH
Enjoy a cooking demonstration, 2 course Italian lunch and glass of wine. MORE DETAILS.
-Autumn Salad with Apples, Dried Cranberries, Almonds and Feta
-Creamy Pumpkin Soup
WHISK
NOVEMBER 3rd, 11:00am-1:30pm
NATURAL COLORED PASTA WITH ANCIENT GRAIN FLOUR
Learn how to make delicious homemade pasta with farro flour and natural ingredients to create a colorful, vibrant dough. MORE DETAILS.
NOVEMBER 13th, 12PM-1PM
LUNCH & LEARN – ITALIAN FALL COUNTRYSIDE LUNCH
Enjoy a cooking demonstration, 2 course Italian lunch and glass of wine. MORE DETAILS.
-Sicilian Fennel and Orange Salad
-Homemade Matcha tagliatelle with Kale Pesto, Leeks and Wild-Caught Prawns
CARUCCIO’S
NOVEMBER 18th 1:00PM–3:30PM
MEDITERRANEAN PLATTERS
Learn how to create Mediterranean-inspired platters that will wow your guests and allow you to entertain stress free this holiday season. MORE DETAILS.
WHISK
NOVEMBER 20th, 12PM-1PM
LUNCH & LEARN – ITALIAN FALL COUNTRYSIDE LUNCH
Enjoy a cooking demonstration, 2 course Italian lunch and glass of wine. MORE DETAILS.
-Warm Spinach salad with Black Pepper Portobello Mushrooms
-Farro & Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Sage and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
WHISK
NOVEMBER 27th, 12PM-1PM
LUNCH & LEARN – ITALIAN FALL COUNTRYSIDE LUNCH
Enjoy a cooking demonstration, 2 course Italian lunch and glass of wine. MORE DETAILS.
-Kale Salad with Apples, Pecorino Shavings and Toasted Herbed Bread Crumbs
-Homemade Tagliatelle with Brown Butter Beet Sauce, Crumbled Blue Cheese, Crispy Brussel Sprouts and Toasted Pine Nuts
WHISK
DECEMBER 1st, 11AM-1:30PM
THE ITALIAN KITCHEN – PASTA
In this interactive pasta-making cooking class you’ll learn the techniques and secrets to making homemade pasta dough and two shapes: tagliatelle and cappellacci. MORE DETAILS.
-Roasted Butternut Squash served with a Butter and Sage Sauce.
-Tagliatelle in a warm Porcini Mushroom Cream Sauce
- For the egg dough:
- 2½ cups (300g) 00 or all purpose flour (I also love using farro flour or a mix of whole grain)
- 3 eggs
- For the filling:
- 2.2 lb (1 kg) butternut squash
- 8 oz (200 g) Parmigiano Reggiano, grated*
- 2-4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 2 dashes of nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 egg
- For the sauce:
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 5-6 sage leaves
- *For a vegan version use a vegan parmesan cheese and butter.
- For the Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cut the butternut squash in half. Remove the seeds and slice. Lay on a baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes until soft. Cut off the skin and put the pulp in a large container. With an hand immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add the Parmigiano Reggiano, breadcrumbs, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add the egg and blend until mixed.
- Pasta dough by hand:
- Put the flour on a large clean work space and create a volcano shape. Add the eggs and gently whisk with a fork. Gradually incorporate the flour from the sides. Gently mix together until a ball of dough starts to form. Knead for 10-15 minutes until elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Pasta dough in a stand mixer: Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer and add flour, salt and eggs. Mix on low for 5 minutes until the dough comes together as a ball and is smooth. Wrap with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Rolling out the pasta:
- Attach the pasta roller accessory to the stand mixer. Divide the dough into 6 pieces, press them into flat rectangles. Lightly flour each side. Pass one of the pieces through the machine on speed 1 on no.0. Fold the ends towards each other and pass it through again. Continue to pass the dough through, reducing the thickness from no. 0 to 7. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can roll out the dough with a rolling pin.
- Forming the cappellacci:
- Put a sheet of pasta on a lightly floured board. Use a pastry cutter to cut squares roughly 2 ½ inches. Put a heaped teaspoonful of the mixture in the center of each square. Fold one corner of the pasta to the other to make a triangle, push out any air from the center to the edge before sealing. Fold and press the ends of the triangle and together with your thumb and pointer finger so they seal together.
- Cooking:
- Cook the cappellacci in salted boiling water for 6-7 minutes. Melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat, add the sage leaves. Once the cappellacci are cooked, drain and toss in the skillet and mix until coated. Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Buon appetito!