Mushroom Nests, Pumpkin Cream and Mozzarella

Name: Mushroom Nests, Pumpkin Cream and Mozzarella
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Whole milk 1 cup; Type 00 flour 1 cup; Eggs (approximately 1.5) 2.8 oz; Butter 1 ½ tbsp; Fine salt 1 pinch; Delica pumpkin (already cleaned) 4.3 cups; Whole milk ½ cup; Water 0.42 cup; Garlic 1 clove; Rosemary 1 sprig; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Dried mushrooms porcini 1.4 oz; Garlic 1 clove; Parsley (to chop) to taste; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Mozzarelline ciliegine cheese 20; Grana Padano PDO cheese (to grate) to taste; Butter for the crepe maker to taste; Extra virgin olive oil for the baking tray to taste

it de es fr br

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Serving: 4

PRESENTATION

If you're looking for a fun and creative twist on Northern and Central Italian cuisine, mushroom nests with pumpkin cream and mozzarella are the way to go. Really good stuff. This dish steps away from traditional baked pasta by using crespelle—Italian-style crepes—as the base. They're rolled up with a smooth, velvety pumpkin cream and bits of earthy dried porcini mushrooms. And the sauce? It’s super creamy. What really makes these spirals special is how they're baked until golden and topped with a mini ball of mozzarella, creating a gooey, melting cheese effect that's hard to resist. So so good. The flavors blend beautifully, with the sweet and nutty pumpkin balancing the deeper, woodsy mushrooms. Compared to regular pasta al forno, this pumpkin cream version feels lighter but still really satisfying, especially with those cheesy tops bubbling in the oven.

In Northern and Central Italy, ingredients like porcini mushrooms and pumpkin are staples in local recipes during fall. This mozzarella recipe combines these classic ingredients in a way that feels both familiar and fresh. The nests have a tender bite from the crespelle, and every forkful offers a mix of moist pumpkin, cheesy stretch, and a hint of mushroom flavor that just works. Really really works. It's easy to see why this baked mushroom dish is perfect for a dinner with friends or as a special vegetarian appetizer. The presentation is impressive—those little spirals with melted cheese on top look fancy without being fussy. Pretty simple. You don’t need to use complicated techniques. Just a few good ingredients and some time in the oven give you cheesy mushroom bites that are different from the usual, tasting like they came straight out of an Italian home kitchen. And look, everyone gets their own nest, so it feels special. Plus, the mix of crispy edges and soft insides is what makes this a keeper for any collection of fall recipes. With every bite, you are getting a taste of Italy's heart and creativity, making it a dish that's not just delicious but memorable too.

INGREDIENTS

For the crepes: Whole milk 1 cup (250 g); Type 00 flour 1 cup (125 g); Eggs 2.8 oz (80 g) - (approximately 1.5); Butter 1 ½ tbsp (20 g); Fine salt 1 pinch

For the pumpkin cream: Delica pumpkin 4.3 cups (550 g) - (already cleaned); Whole milk ½ cup (100 g); Water 0.42 cup (100 g); Garlic 1 clove; Rosemary 1 sprig; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

For the mushrooms: Dried mushrooms 1.4 oz (40 g) - porcini; Garlic 1 clove; Parsley to taste - (to chop); Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

For cooking and garnishing: Mozzarelline ciliegine cheese 20; Grana Padano PDO cheese to taste - (to grate); Butter to taste - for the crepe maker; Extra virgin olive oil to taste - for the baking tray

Preparation

How to prepare Mushroom Nests, Pumpkin Cream and Mozzarella

To make the mushroom nests, pumpkin cream, and mozzarella, first soak the dried mushrooms in cold water 1. Meanwhile, prepare the crepe batter: melt the butter in a saucepan 2 and let it cool. In a bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk, then pour in the milk 3 and mix again.

Add the melted butter to the mixture 4 and a pinch of salt. Combine everything and also add the sifted flour 5. Mix until you get a smooth and homogeneous mixture 6. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Move on to the pumpkin cream: clean the pumpkin and cut the flesh into irregular cubes 7. In a pot, heat the oil with the rosemary and a clove of garlic in its skin 8, then add the pumpkin cubes 9.

Salt 10, pepper, and pour the water 11, then cover with a lid and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring often 12.

While the pumpkin cooks, drain the mushrooms, filter the soaking water, and set it aside. In a pan, flavor a splash of oil with a clove of garlic in its skin 13, then add the mushrooms 14 and about 1 1/4 cups of their water 15.

Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes 16, then remove the garlic 17 and season with chopped parsley 18. Set the mushrooms aside.

At this point, the pumpkin will be cooked, so turn off the heat and remove the garlic and rosemary 19, then add the milk 20 and mix well until you get a cream 21.

Now you can cook the crepes: place a crepe pan (or a non-stick pan) with a diameter of 11 inches on the stove and grease it with a little butter, then pour a ladle of the batter into the center 22 and swirl the pan to distribute it evenly (or use the appropriate spatula). After about a minute on medium-low heat, the edges will start to detach 23, then flip the crepe and cook it for another minute on the other side, it should be slightly golden 34. Continue this way until all the batter is used up, stacking the crepes on a plate as you go.

You are ready to assemble the dish: spread each crepe with the pumpkin cream 25, add some mushrooms 26, and roll it up 27.

Trim the edges of the roll and divide it into pieces about 1 1/2 inches wide 28; with these quantities, you will get about 20 pieces. Place the spirals obtained in a baking dish previously greased with oil, placing them upright next to each other 29. Finally, add a small mozzarella on top of each nest 30.

Drizzle the surface with a little oil 31 and sprinkle with grated Grana Padano PDO 32. Bake in a preheated static oven at 392°F for 10 minutes, then switch to grill mode at 464°F for another 4-5 minutes. Your mushroom nests, pumpkin cream, and mozzarella are ready to be served 33!