Tortelli di Zucca (Butternut Squash Tortelli with Sage Butter)
Little parcels of fresh pasta filled with sweet roast squash and parmesan, served in nutty browned butter and sage.
Made with Fresh egg pasta dough. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr 30
- LevelHard
- Costabout £1.21 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Toss the squash with the olive oil and a pinch of salt on a baking tray and roast for 35 minutes, until soft and starting to caramelise at the edges.
35 min - 2
Mash the squash well, then tip into a pan over a low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, to drive off extra water. Cool, then mix in 40 g of the cheese, the breadcrumbs, nutmeg, egg yolk, lemon zest, salt and pepper. The filling should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon.
- 3
Make the fresh egg pasta dough (see the base recipe) and rest it. Roll it into two long sheets about 1.5 mm thick and keep one covered while you work on the other.
- 4
Put teaspoons of filling in rows on the first sheet, about 5 cm apart. Brush a little water around each mound, lay the second sheet over the top and press out the air around each pocket. Cut into 6 cm squares with a knife or fluted cutter and press the edges firmly to seal.
- 5
Lay the tortelli in a single layer on a tray dusted with semolina. Cook in two batches in a large pan of gently boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes, until they float and the edges are tender.
3 min 30 s - 6
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Cook until it foams, smells nutty and turns light brown, then add the sage leaves and let them crisp for 30 seconds.
- 7
Lift the tortelli straight from the pan into the butter with a slotted spoon, add a spoonful of the pasta water and toss gently. Serve at once with the remaining cheese.
Tips
- Drying the squash purée in a pan is the secret to a filling that does not leak. Wet filling bursts the pasta as it cooks.
- Press out every air pocket when sealing. Trapped air makes tortelli puff up and split in the water.
- Boil gently, not fiercely. A rolling boil tears filled pasta.
Storing and freezing
Uncooked tortelli keep in the fridge on a floured tray, loosely covered, for 1 day. Freeze them on a tray until firm, bag for up to 1 month and cook from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes. Eat cooked tortelli the same day.
Questions
Can I use pumpkin instead of butternut squash?
Yes. A small sugar pumpkin or crown prince squash works well. Roast it until very soft and dry the purée in a pan so the filling is not wet.
Do I need a ravioli cutter?
No. A sharp knife and a fork to crimp the edges work well. A fluted pastry wheel gives a pretty edge but it is only a nicety.
Can I make these dairy free?
Yes. Leave out the cheese, add an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt to the filling, and serve with olive oil browned with the sage instead of butter.
More made with fresh egg pasta dough
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.