Sicily isn't normally associated with pumpkins, but there they were, a field of bright orange balls right next to the vineyard of Alessandro di Camporeale. A few days later, I came across pumpkin again, but this time it was in my soup at the Azienda Agrituristica Fontanasalsa, a boutique olive-oil producer that had prepared our group a fabulous Sicilian lunch.

This is a perfect fall soup: hearty, colorful, and employing seasonal squash. Another key ingredient is farro, an ancient grain related to wheat and similar in texture to wheat berries. Serve this soup with a crunchy loaf of Italian bread, a mixed green salad, and you've got a lovely fall dinner. Don't forget to uncork some good Italian wine! (Suggestions below.)

(Serves 6)
extra virgin olive oil
1 onion
1 stalk celery
1 carrot
8 oz speck (can substitute a flavorful smoked ham, such as Black Forest, sliced 1/4 " thick)
2-pound pumpkin (about the size of a large acorn squash) ( can substitute butternut squash)
1 cup farro (or wheat berries, available at most health-food shops)
3 boiling potatoes (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons fresh herbs, finely chopped (a mix of rosemary, sage, parsley, basil). (If dried, use about 1/4 teaspoon each.)
salt & pepper to taste

Put farro in a bowl of cold water and let stand 1 hour.

Prepare pumpkin: Remove seeds and fibers, cut into 1/2" cubes, and peel.

Finely dice onion, celery, and carrots. Place in a large soup pot and saute in olive oil until tender. Dice speck (or smoked ham), and chop potatoes into small cubes. Add to vegetable mix, together with pumpkin, farro (drained) and herbs. Let cook for about 5 minutes.

Cover everything with water, bring to simmer, and let cook for an hour. Halfway through, add 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. When soup is done, adjust seasonings to taste.

Ladle into individual serving bowls, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and serve. Buon appetito!

WINE PAIRINGS:
Chardonnay, Planeta (Sicily)
The mellow sweetness of pumpkin and nutty character of the farro call for a full-bodied white wine with a complementary note of toasty oak. The perfect candidate is a Chardonnay from Planeta, a leader in Sicily's wine renaissance.

Falanghina, Terradorra (Campania)
If you belong to the ABC club (Anything But Chardonnay), Italy offers plenty of excellent alternatives. The Falanghina grape, from the winegrowing region near the Amalfi Coast, is a wonderful food wine. This rendition from the Terradorra winery is tops: bright, fruity, with a streak of minerality. It can easily become your new favorite white.

Sagana (Nero d'Avola), Cusumano (Sicily)
For red-wine drinkers, there's Nero d'Avola, Sicily's most important indigenous grape. Its deep, dark-fruit character pairs nicely with pumpkin. Since this wine varies widely in quality, it's important to select a good producer. One of the best is Cusumano, whose "Sagana" Nero d'Avola won a prestigious Tre Bicchieri award from Gamberto Rosso in 2003.

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