Pinched bundles with pumpkin and fossa pecorino
- Vegetarian
- Energy Kcal 504
- Carbohydrates g 43.6
- of which sugars g 5.2
- Protein g 17.3
- Fats g 28.7
- of which saturated fat g 14.19
- Fiber g 2.4
- Cholesterol mg 198
- Sodium mg 838
- Difficulty: Average
- Prep time: 60 min
- Cook time: 30 min
- Serving: 4
- Cost: Average
- Note plus 1 hour of rest for the egg pasta
PRESENTATION
Fagottini pizzicati alla zucca e pecorino di fossa is like a playful dance between Italy's stuffed pasta traditions and a dash of creative flair. These little bundles—pinched by hand to look like tiny pouches—hide a filling that’s all about contrasts. Seriously. You've got sweet pumpkin turning into a soft, creamy surprise, mingling with the bold, musky kick of pecorino cheese pasta. And here's the thing: it's the pecorino di fossa that makes it pop. This cheese gets its deep flavor from aging underground in tuffa pits, right in Marche and Emilia-Romagna—really really unique. Folks there have been crafting this for generations—yeah, it’s got that rustic, old-school vibe.
The pumpkin filling doesn't just sit there. It soaks up the tangy notes from a drop of lemony herbal amaro. Pretty much, it's a citrusy, almost zesty finish that catches you off guard in the best way. Honestly, the way these regional flavors come together is something you don’t see every day—not even in pumpkin ravioli or other homemade pasta recipes. People in Marche keep it pretty simple after filling the pasta: just a quick toss in melted butter with crisp sage leaves. That's all it needs. No heavy sauce to hide that filling. It’s the star.
You end up with a plate that looks kind of fancy but still feels like cozy autumn comfort food, especially when you catch that herby, golden butter aroma. Some folks in Italy even argue about the best pumpkin to use—or who makes the most moist, tender bundles—but the heart of the dish is all about using what's close to home and making those flavors pop. And listen, it’s the kind of food that makes you slow down and pay attention. Every bite has a bit of that Marche creativity and a whole lot of flavor that feels both new and totally classic. Perfect for anyone craving a little surprise in their fall pasta dishes or itching to try authentic traditional Italian recipes straight from the source. For real.
INGREDIENTS
- For the egg pasta
- Type 00 flour 1.6 cups (200 g)
- Eggs 4.9 oz (140 g)
- For the filling
- Pumpkin ½ cup (125 g) - pulp
- Cow's milk ricotta cheese ½ cup (125 g)
- Pecorino di fossa cheese 1.4 oz (40 g) - to grate
- Amaro liqueur 0.67 tbsp (10 g)
- Onions ½
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- For seasoning
- Butter 4 ¼ tbsp (60 g)
- Pecorino di fossa cheese 0.7 oz (20 g) - to be grated
- Sage to taste
How to prepare Pinched bundles with pumpkin and fossa pecorino
To prepare the pinched bundles with pumpkin and fossa pecorino filling, start by making the egg pasta. Pour the all-purpose flour into a large bowl 1, or directly onto a floured pastry board, add the eggs 2, and start kneading by hand 3.
Transfer the dough to a floured pastry board, if you started working it in a bowl, and continue kneading 4 until you obtain a firm and compact dough ball 5. Then cover the dough ball with a sheet of plastic wrap 6 and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour. To learn how to prepare egg pasta at its best, consult the Cooking School: Homemade pasta (sheets and shapes).
In the meantime, take care of the pumpkin: place it on a cutting board and cut it in half 7. Then take one half, remove the skin laterally with a knife 8 and extract the internal seeds using a spoon 9.
Then slice the half pumpkin 10 and cut the slices into cubes 11. Take half an onion, peel it, and chop it finely 12.
Pour a drizzle of oil into a non-stick pan and sauté the chopped onion over low heat. When the onion is golden brown, add the pumpkin cubes 13. Cover with a lid and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, adding water or broth as needed 14. Let the pumpkin cubes dry well, otherwise, they will release too much water when blended 15.
Once cooked, transfer the pumpkin to a mixer with the ricotta 16. Also, add the fossa pecorino you previously grated 17 and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Blend everything until you obtain a homogeneous cream 18.
After the resting time of the dough, roll it out with a pasta machine: first, cut a piece of the dough ball, so that it can pass more easily through the machine. Flatten the piece you cut with your hands and set the side knob of the machine to the widest thickness. Pass the pasta through several times and as it becomes thinner, reduce the machine's thickness until you get a thin sheet 19. Consult the Cooking School: rolling out the sheet with the machine, which you can find here, to discover all the steps of this process. Once the pasta is rolled out, cut it into squares measuring approximately 2x2 inches (20-21).
Pour the pumpkin and fossa pecorino filling you blended into a piping bag and fill the egg pasta squares you cut 22. Then add the herbal bitters infused with lemon, and using a teaspoon, place a drop on each bundle 23. Brush the egg pasta squares with water to facilitate sealing 24.
Proceed to close the pinched bundles: join two opposite corners of each square 25, press the sides to close the filling, and then join the two remaining edges, pinching them to form a bundle. Now line a tray with a cloth well dusted with flour and transfer the bundles you made onto it 26. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring it to a boil, then pour in the bundles and cook for a few minutes 27.
In the meantime, melt the butter in a non-stick pan and add a few sage leaves 28. When the pinched bundles float to the surface, drain them with a slotted spoon 29 and sauté them in the pan with the butter and sage. Sprinkle with grated pecorino, and the pinched bundles with pumpkin and fossa pecorino are ready to be served and enjoyed 30!