Velvet pumpkin and clam soup

Method

1. Lightly fry the chopped onion and sliced leak in a pan with 2 spoonfuls of oil.
2. Add a little salt, the diced potatoes and pumpkin as well as some rosemary. Leave to flavour for a few minutes.
3. Pour in 1 litre of hot water, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
4. Drain the clams, add the preserving fluid to the sauce and cook for 5 minutes without lid.
5. Blend the sauce with a hand-held blender until a creamy consistency is obtained.
6. Flavour the clams with pepper, a little oil and minced parsley.
7. Add 2/3 of the clams to the velvet sauce.
8. Serve the cream in bowls, garnishing with the remaining clams.

Chef's tip

If Halloween is around the corner, serve this soup together with crispy pumpkin-shaped croutons.

Serving suggestion

Ideal served at the beginning of a meal, as light entrée, or as a first dish followed by further fish- or vegetable-based courses.

Wine selection

Astraio Viognier Maremma Toscana DOC, Müller Thurgau Frizzante delle Venezie IGT or Soave DOC.

Family tip

If you can't get any preserved clams, you still can replace them with Delicius anchovy fillets: the result will be outstanding!

Dish history

When the days start to turn colder and the sky is rainy, the pumpkin brings colour, light and sweetness into our kitchen! What could be better than enjoying a heart-warming soup after a long, fraught day? Cosy and delicious, this dish is the perfect comfort food for any situation: the main course for a dinner with your friends or family, or an appetising entrée for a special occasion.