Time: About 1 hour plus 1 hour for chilling

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks (weighed after cutting)
1 vanilla pod or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Salt
5 ounces fresh ricotta ( 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons), drained if necessary
2 tablespoons puréed chestnuts
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 large egg
7 tablespoons flour
Ricotta salata (or more Parmesan) for garnish.

1. Put squash in a heavy saucepan with water to cover, about four cups; bring to a boil over high heat. Split vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape seeds into pot and add pod. Turn heat to low, cover, and simmer until squash is quite tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool if time allows.

2. Remove pod, let cool a bit, and transfer squash and liquid in batches to a blender; purée, and add salt to taste.

3. Weigh 5 ounces of the purée, or measure 1/2 cup plus two tablespoons, and combine in a bowl with ricotta, chestnut purée, Parmesan, egg, and a little salt. Gently fold in flour; a spoonful of the mixture should just hold its shape on a plate. (If it does not, add a little more flour.) Put batter in a pastry bag with a No. 5 tip, and pipe dumplings onto parchment or waxed paper, or simply make dumplings with a spoon. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

4. Reheat soup, thinning with water if necessary. Put dumplings in boiling salted water, a few at a time; they're ready about 2 or 3 minutes after they rise to the top. (Taste to make certain.) Serve soup with dumplings, grating a bit of ricotta salata over the top.

Yield: 6 servings.