zucca

Confusingly, either zucca or zucchetta can mean any number of varities of squash, pumpkin and decorative gourd. They're a standby all over Italy, in soups, pies and tarts, and especially as a filling for pasta, such as Mantua's tortelli di zucca. The flowers, like those of courgettes, are popular stuffed with ricotta and deep-fried: fiori di zucche.

barucca veneta: big, round, yellow and gnarly (the name means 'warty') but a favourite in the kitchen.

berettina piacentina: grey-green, looks like it's wearing a beret.

bottiglia del pellegrino: 'pilgrim's bottle'. The only native Italian gourd, this was indeed used as a container for liquids in the old days.

pumpkin padana: beautiful orange and geren stripes.

serpente di Sicilia: see cucuzza.