Ingredients for 4 people:
- 2 tablespoons raw cane sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon sea salt
- 2 anise stars
- 2 sprigs of mint, + chopped fresh mint for garnish
- The juice of a lemon (keep the zest aside)
- The juice of an orange (keep the peel aside)
- 8 Tellicherry black peppercorns
- 4 mini pumpkins, halved and seeded
- 4 full tablespoons of Leonardi Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena DOP (Affinato or Extra Vecchio), for the finish.
Procedure:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the sugar, salt, star anise, mint sprigs, lemon and orange juice and zest, and peppercorns. Add the pumpkins, cut in half (base and cap). Let simmer over low heat to prevent them from breaking, and check for doneness with the tip of a knife. Cook for 15-20 minutes for the bases and 10 minutes for the caps. Drain and gently pat the pumpkin pieces dry. Divide the bases between 4 plates and drizzle with a heaping tablespoon of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar DOP. Add the chopped mint and cover with the cap. Let stand and serve warm.
Recipe taken from AUTHENTIC: Cooking Italian, the Authentic Way by Rolando Beramendi
