Tortelli of Butternut Squash and Ricotta with Pickled Red Onion, Leafy Greens, Butter Emulsion, and Fried Onion

Headnote

This dish is built on contrast: sweet squash, fresh ricotta, sharp onion, and a clean butter emulsion that binds without heaviness. The pasta must remain supple, the filling smooth and restrained, and the greens only just wilted so the plate keeps its lift. Every element is used to sharpen the others, not to compete with them.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Stuffed pasta
Cuisine or origin: Italian-inspired
Course type: First course
Yield: 2 portions
Serving size: 190 g per portion
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Difficulty: Advanced

Equipment

Rolling pin or pasta machine
Small saucepan
Medium sauté pan
Large pot for boiling pasta
Fine sieve
Tray lined with parchment
Slotted spoon
Scale
Sharp knife
Mixing bowl

Ingredients

Pasta and filling

Pasta dough, 200 g

Ricotta, 120 g

Butternut squash, peeled and diced, 220 g

Red onion, finely sliced, 80 g

Butter, 20 g

Vegetable stock, 60 g

Leafy green, 40 g

Fried onion, 10 g

Microgreen, 6 g

For finishing

Butter, 40 g

Vegetable stock, 80 g

Red onion, 20 g, reserved from the sliced onion if possible, finely chopped

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Spread the butternut squash on a tray and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until tender, dry at the edges, and lightly caramelized. The flesh should yield cleanly to a knife and carry a concentrated sweetness.

2. While the squash roasts, place the sliced red onion in a small saucepan with the 60 g vegetable stock and 20 g butter. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until the onion is soft, glossy, and the liquid has nearly evaporated. Fold in the ricotta, then add the roasted squash and mash together to a smooth, thick filling. Season lightly if required by the stock; the mixture must hold its shape on a spoon. Cool completely.

3. Roll the pasta dough thinly and evenly. Cut into squares or rounds suitable for stuffed pasta. Place small portions of filling in the center, seal carefully, and press out all air. Keep the edges clean and firm. The pasta must be taut, not stretched thin at the seams.

4. Bring a large pot of water to a steady boil. In a separate pan, warm the 80 g vegetable stock with the remaining 40 g butter and the 20 g chopped red onion. Whisk over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until the butter forms a light, glossy emulsion. Do not allow it to boil hard; the sauce should remain fluid and unified.

5. Cook the stuffed pasta in the boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, depending on size, until the pasta is tender with a slight resistance at the center and the filling is hot throughout. Lift the pasta out gently with a slotted spoon.

6. Add the leafy green to the butter emulsion and toss for 20 to 30 seconds until just wilted and bright. Add the pasta and turn it through the sauce once or twice only, so the parcels are coated without breaking. The sauce should cling in a thin, glossy film.

7. Spoon the pasta and greens onto warm plates. Finish with the fried onion and scatter the microgreen over the top. Serve immediately while the pasta is supple and the butter remains silky.

Plating and serving

Arrange the stuffed pasta in a clean, deliberate line or shallow cluster, with the greens tucked around and beneath. Spoon the butter emulsion lightly over and around the parcels, then finish with fried onion and microgreen for height and texture. The plate should read as precise, warm, and balanced, with no excess sauce.

Professional notes

The filling must be cool before shaping or the pasta will weaken.
Keep the butter emulsion below a simmer; heat will split it and dull the finish.
The final dish depends on contrast: soft filling, tender pasta, sharp onion, and crisp garnish.