Autumn recipes: tasty dishes with seasonal ingredients
Are you looking for some cooking inspiration? As the weather cools down and autumn brings its cozy vibes, there's nothing better than seasonal autumn recipes with the flavours of pumpkin, cavolo nero (Tuscan kale), mushrooms, and chestnuts.
Here’s is some inspiration!
Autumn Pasta Recipe
Ingredients for 4 persons:
Preparation:
Start by cooking the chestnuts. Place them in a pot with plenty of cold, unsalted water, and boil. Once the water boils, let them cook for 20-25 minutes. After draining, allow the chestnuts to cool slightly, then peel them and cut them into coarse pieces (about 3-4 pieces per chestnut).
Next, finely chop the dried chili pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pan, and when it starts sizzling, add the chestnuts. Sauté them over high heat for a few minutes until they turn golden brown. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside.
Peel and dice the pumpkin into cubes, using about 300g. Wash the cavolo nero (Tuscan kale) well, trim the base of the bunch, and thinly slice the leaves.
In a large pan, heat a bit of olive oil and sauté a few large chunks of garlic (these will be removed later). Add the cavolo nero first, and after about a minute, toss in the diced pumpkin. Pour in a ladle of water, stir frequently, and cook for about 15 minutes. Add salt toward the end of cooking.
While the vegetables cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pennette rigate according to the package instructions. Aim for al dente.
Once the pumpkin and the cavolo nero are cooked, remove the garlic and add the gorgonzola to the pan. Stir everything well until the gorgonzola melts, creating a creamy sauce. Drain the pasta and add it directly to the pan with the vegetables and melted gorgonzola. Stir thoroughly to ensure the sauce coats all the pasta. Finally, mix in the spicy roasted chestnuts.
Here’s is some inspiration!
Autumn Pasta Recipe
Ingredients for 4 persons:
- 320g Pennette rigate
- 500g Pumpkin
- 200g Cavolo nero (Tuscan kale)
- 100g Gorgonzola cheese
- 30g Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- 350g Chestnuts
- 1 dried chili pepper
Preparation:
Start by cooking the chestnuts. Place them in a pot with plenty of cold, unsalted water, and boil. Once the water boils, let them cook for 20-25 minutes. After draining, allow the chestnuts to cool slightly, then peel them and cut them into coarse pieces (about 3-4 pieces per chestnut).
Next, finely chop the dried chili pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pan, and when it starts sizzling, add the chestnuts. Sauté them over high heat for a few minutes until they turn golden brown. Season with a pinch of salt and set aside.
Peel and dice the pumpkin into cubes, using about 300g. Wash the cavolo nero (Tuscan kale) well, trim the base of the bunch, and thinly slice the leaves.
In a large pan, heat a bit of olive oil and sauté a few large chunks of garlic (these will be removed later). Add the cavolo nero first, and after about a minute, toss in the diced pumpkin. Pour in a ladle of water, stir frequently, and cook for about 15 minutes. Add salt toward the end of cooking.
While the vegetables cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pennette rigate according to the package instructions. Aim for al dente.
Once the pumpkin and the cavolo nero are cooked, remove the garlic and add the gorgonzola to the pan. Stir everything well until the gorgonzola melts, creating a creamy sauce. Drain the pasta and add it directly to the pan with the vegetables and melted gorgonzola. Stir thoroughly to ensure the sauce coats all the pasta. Finally, mix in the spicy roasted chestnuts.
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Mushrooms Recipe
Ingredients for 4 persons:
Preparation:
Peel the potatoes and boil them until soft. Meanwhile, bake the pumpkin at 180°C for about 30 minutes, until soft. Once cooked, mash both the pumpkin and potatoes into a smooth purée.
In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin-potato purée, egg, grated Parmesan, a dash of nutmeg, a pinch of salt, and the flour. Gently knead until smooth and homogenous.
Divide the dough and roll into strips on a floured surface. Cut into small pieces to form gnocchi. Optionally, use a fork to create the traditional gnocchi ridges.
Bring salted water to a boil and cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface. Drain using a slotted spoon.
In a pan, heat some olive oil with a garlic clove and rosemary. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until golden. Season with salt.
Add the cooked gnocchi to the pan with the mushrooms and toss for a few minutes to absorb the flavours.
Serve the pumpkin gnocchi with mushrooms and garnish with extra grated Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
Ingredients for 4 persons:
- 700 g pumpkin (peeled)
- 350 g all-purpose flour
- 250 g potatoes
- 50 g grated Parmesan
- 1 egg
- 300 g mushrooms
- Garlic, to taste
- Rosemary, to taste
- Nutmeg, to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- Salt, to taste
Preparation:
Peel the potatoes and boil them until soft. Meanwhile, bake the pumpkin at 180°C for about 30 minutes, until soft. Once cooked, mash both the pumpkin and potatoes into a smooth purée.
In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin-potato purée, egg, grated Parmesan, a dash of nutmeg, a pinch of salt, and the flour. Gently knead until smooth and homogenous.
Divide the dough and roll into strips on a floured surface. Cut into small pieces to form gnocchi. Optionally, use a fork to create the traditional gnocchi ridges.
Bring salted water to a boil and cook the gnocchi until they float to the surface. Drain using a slotted spoon.
In a pan, heat some olive oil with a garlic clove and rosemary. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until golden. Season with salt.
Add the cooked gnocchi to the pan with the mushrooms and toss for a few minutes to absorb the flavours.
Serve the pumpkin gnocchi with mushrooms and garnish with extra grated Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
Purple Cabbage Soup with Croutons Recipe
Ingredients for 4 persons:
For garnish:
Preparation:
Wash the purple cabbage and slice it into thin strips. Clean and finely slice the leeks.
In a large pot, heat some olive oil and sauté the leeks until soft.
Add the purple cabbage to the pot and mix well. Pour in 500 ml of water and season with salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the cabbage is tender.
Once the vegetables are cooked, blend everything with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of Robiola cheese to make the soup creamier.
Serve the soup in bowls and garnish with croutons, a bit of extra Robiola, and toasted pine nuts.
Ingredients for 4 persons:
- 700 g purple cabbage
- 2 leeks
- 500 ml water
- 2 tablespoons Robiola cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- Salt, to taste
For garnish:
- Croutons, to taste
- Pine nuts, to taste
Preparation:
Wash the purple cabbage and slice it into thin strips. Clean and finely slice the leeks.
In a large pot, heat some olive oil and sauté the leeks until soft.
Add the purple cabbage to the pot and mix well. Pour in 500 ml of water and season with salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the cabbage is tender.
Once the vegetables are cooked, blend everything with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of Robiola cheese to make the soup creamier.
Serve the soup in bowls and garnish with croutons, a bit of extra Robiola, and toasted pine nuts.
Chestnut Cake (Castagnaccio) Recipe
Ingredients for 4 persons:
Preparation:
Soak the raisins in cold water for about 10 minutes, then drain and dry them. Toast the pine nuts in a non-stick pan until slightly golden.
In a large bowl, sift the chestnut flour to remove any lumps. Add a pinch of salt, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Gradually pour in the water while whisking to prevent lumps. The batter should be smooth but not too runny.
Stir half of the raisins, pine nuts, and coarsely chopped walnuts into the batter. Mix well.
Grease a round baking pan with oil. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the surface. Top with the remaining raisins, pine nuts, walnuts, and a few rosemary needles. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 35 minutes, until the surface is dry and cracks begin to form.
Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before serving.
Buon Appetito!
Ingredients for 4 persons:
- 300 g chestnut flour
- 380 g cold water
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 40 g raisins
- 40 g pine nuts
- 40 g walnut kernels
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 pinch salt
Preparation:
Soak the raisins in cold water for about 10 minutes, then drain and dry them. Toast the pine nuts in a non-stick pan until slightly golden.
In a large bowl, sift the chestnut flour to remove any lumps. Add a pinch of salt, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Gradually pour in the water while whisking to prevent lumps. The batter should be smooth but not too runny.
Stir half of the raisins, pine nuts, and coarsely chopped walnuts into the batter. Mix well.
Grease a round baking pan with oil. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the surface. Top with the remaining raisins, pine nuts, walnuts, and a few rosemary needles. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 35 minutes, until the surface is dry and cracks begin to form.
Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before serving.
Buon Appetito!
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