Whether you folllow this recipe to make the homemade pasta or choose to substitute for gyoza wrappers, the delicate sweet and savory flavors of pumpkin wrap around the citrus, stone fruit, and mineral flavors of our 2019 Chardonnay.
Filling
1 cup canned pumpkin (about half of a 15-oz. can)
2 tablespoons finely chopped Cremona fruit in mustard syrup (optional)
1/4 cup fresh-grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely crushed amaretti or other almond macaroon cookies
1 tablespoon fine dried bread crumbs
1/8 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brandy
Pasta:
About 2 cups unbleached or regular all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
Substitute: Japanese gyoza wrappers
Sauce:
1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter or margarine
1/3 cup lightly packed fresh sage leaves, rinsed and dried
1/2 cup fresh-grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
1. To make filling: In a bowl, mix pumpkin, Cremona fruit in mustard syrup, parmesan cheese, crushed amaretti cookies, bread crumbs, nutmeg, salt, and brandy.
2. To make pasta: In a food processor, whirl 2 cups flour and salt to blend; add eggs and egg yolks, and whirl until dough holds together (or in a bowl, mix ingredients with a fork). Scrape pasta dough onto a lightly floured board and roll to coat with flour. Knead until dough feels smooth, adding flour as required to prevent sticking, about 1 minute if mixed in a food processor, 15 minutes if stirred. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let rest 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Divide dough in half and shape each portion into a smooth ball. Roll each ball through a pasta machine to 1/16 inch thick, or roll on a floured board. With a floured 2 3/4-inch round cutter, cut out 48 to 50 pasta rounds. Reroll dough as needed; discard excess.
4. Spoon an equal portion of filling onto center of each pasta round (about 1 teaspoon). Moisten pasta rims with water, fold over to enclose filling, and press edges with fork tines to seal. Arrange filled pasta on a floured surface (or 10- by 15-in. baking pans, if making ahead); let dry 10 minutes, turn over, and dry 20 minutes longer (or cover airtight and chill).
5. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a 7- to 8-quart pan over high heat; add half the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender to bite, 8 to 10 minutes. As they are cooked, transfer with a slotted spoon to a rimmed ovenproof platter; cover with foil and keep warm on an electric warming tray or in a 250° oven. Repeat to cook remaining pasta.
6. To make sauce: In an 8- to 10-inch nonstick frying pan over high heat, melt butter. Add sage leaves and stir often until darker green, about 30 seconds. Immediately, pour over the filled pasta, sprinkle with 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, and add salt and pepper to taste.
The richness of the pumpkin and savory herbal notes of the sage are a great match for our 2019 Chardonnay. The body is of good weight to pair with the pasta, and savory notes are accentuated by stony minerality and hazelnut notes. The ripe fruit dances with the subtle sweetness of the pumpkin for a gorgeous harmony of flavor.