Time: 1 ora e 30 minuti
Difficulty: media

Varying and mixing flavors in the kitchen is what I love about my job. So today I'm sharing a colorful first course with ingredients I love!

Characteristics: The pumpkin plant falls into the "herbaceous climbing" category and has large, rough leaves. Its fruits usually ripen between late August and the last days of November, although modern preservation techniques and the different varieties allow them to be found year-round.
In Italy, the main growing areas are the lower Lombardy plain, the area adjacent to the Po Delta, and the upper Polesine area in Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, and Campania. Three edible species exist:
• Cucurbita pepo, better known as zucchini; In fact, the undeveloped, green fruits of the pumpkin plant are none other than zucchini.
• Cucurbita maxima, the most common pumpkin, is large and round with yellow flesh.
• Cucurbita moschata, with medium-sized, elongated fruits.

History: It's not easy to define where pumpkins originated, but it seems the first to introduce them to Italy were the Phoenicians, who began cultivating the Legenaria variety, with its typical narrow, elongated shape, probably originating in India. This vegetable was already widely known by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, and the Romans soon recognized its many qualities.
Note: Pumpkin seeds are also excellent, rich in health benefits. Zinc and magnesium are abundant and contribute to maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system, as well as regulating the proper formation of bones and teeth and preventing intestinal dysfunction.

Ingredients for 4 people
500 g Bologna PGI white-fleshed potatoes
130 g pumpkin pulp, blended and cooked
180 g Molino dalla Giovanna Special Fresh Pasta
2 egg yolks
Fine salt
Ground black pepper
Very fine rice flour (permitted for dusting)
For the creamed cheese soup
300 ml fresh cream
200 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 leek
Balsamic vinegar of Modena PGI
50 g butter
Extra virgin olive oil
Fine salt
Ground black pepper

Method
Place a pot of water on the stove until it comes to a boil, add the potatoes and cook until they are tender and soft.
Once cooked, peel the potatoes while still hot and mash them with a potato ricer, dropping the puree directly into a bowl; Let it cool for a few minutes, then transfer it to a pastry board or stand mixer.
Add the pumpkin pulp and flour, a little at a time, mixing gradually until absorbed, then add the egg, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of ground pepper and mix everything together.
It may be too soft if the pumpkin isn't completely dry, so be careful, gradually adding a little flour to dry the dough.
Form the dough into a ball, let it rest for 30 minutes, then take pieces of dough and roll them on a lightly floured pastry board, creating small sausages. Using a floured knife, cut them into 4 mm long pieces. Roll the gnocchi over the prongs of a fork; let them rest on a tray sprinkled with rice flour.
Pour the cream and cheese into a small saucepan and cook slowly, stirring occasionally with a whisk. Once everything is melted, remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Peel the leek, remove the outer skin, and blanch it for a couple of minutes in water. Drain it in iced water and let it cool.
Prepare a pot of water, season with salt, and once it comes to a boil, cook the gnocchi for a few minutes until they float to the surface. Drain them in a bowl with the butter and let it melt.
Pour the cream cheese into plates, garnish with drops of vinegar around the gnocchi, and top with drained leek curls seasoned with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt.