Recipes — pasta

This dinner is greater than the sum of its parts — it’s so incredibly easy, but tastes like you spent hours on it. Fresh tomatoes cook down quickly to create a sweet sauce that’s brighter and more flavorful than the jarred stuff — especially when flavored with garlic and red pepper flakes. Cheese tortellini plumps up quickly as it simmers in the sauce, so all that’s left to do is wilt some spinach into the mix. It’s just the kind of weeknight meal that’s guaranteed to become a new favorite.

Prep Time

    •    Prep time: 20 minutes
    •    Cook time: 12 minutes
    •    Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

    •    2 tbsps olive oil
    •    1/2 tsp kosher salt
    •    3 cloves garlic, minced
    •    2 cups packed baby spinach
    •    pinch red pepper flakes (Optional)
    •    1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
    •    freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
    •    2 pounds plum or Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
    •    2 (8-ounce) packages fresh cheese tortellini, or 1 (19-ounce) bag frozen cheese tortellini

Method

1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, if using. Cook until the tomatoes soften and release their juices, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high, stir in the tortellini, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tortellini is plump and tender, 3 to 5 minutes, or according to package instructions.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach until it just wilts, about 1 minute. Serve immediately with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese.

This great family recipe is thanks to The Kitchn Recipes at https://www.thekitchn.com/tuscan-tortellini-pasta-260311

Ravioli with spinach and ricotta cheese filling, in tomato cream sauce – meatless, Italian style pasta dish, with everything made completely from scratch!  Learn how to make ravioli dough from scratch, how to shape ravioli, what filling to use and what sauce to make. Detailed instructions and step-by-step photos to show you how to make the ravioli with spinach and ricotta cheese filling at home!

Prep Time

    •    Prep time: 1 hour
    •    Cook time: 30 minutes
    •    Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

    •    1 egg
    •    1/4 tsp salt
    •    1 1/4 cups flour
    •    1/4 cup hot water

Method

Spinach and ricotta cheese ravioli filling:

    •    1/4 tsp salt
    •    10 oz spinach
    •    1 tbsp olive oil
    •    3/4 cup ricotta cheese
    •    1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded

Tomato cream sauce:

    •    1/4 tsp salt
    •    2 tomatoes
    •    2 garlic cloves
    •    1 tbsp olive oil
    •    1/4 cup white wine
    •    5 sprigs fresh thyme
    •    1/2 cup heavy cream
    •    2 cups grape tomatoes yellow and red

Method

For make ravioli dough from scratch:

1. Mix flour with salt.
   
   
2. Stir water with egg until well mixed.
   
   
3. In a bowl, combine flour and egg-water mixture together and mix until well incorporated. Knead the dough until well-textured and firm. The dough should not be too wet or too sticky. It should only stick to itself, but not to your hands. However, it should not be too dry, either. Make the dough into a ball, cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough stand for 1 hour at room temperature before using. This allows gluten to work.

How to make ravioli cheese filling:

1. Heat olive oil on medium heat, add spinach and cook covered, stirring occasionally, until spinach wilted, about 15 minutes.
   
   
2. Cook for 5 or 10 more minutes uncovered until all liquid evaporates.
   
   
3. Chop cooked spinach finely and move to a bowl. Add Parmesan cheese and ricotta cheese, salt to taste and mix well. Add more salt if necessary.

How to assemble ravioli using ravioli mold:

1. After the ravioli dough has been resting at room temperature for 1 hour, divide the ravioli dough (instructions on how to make ravioli dough from scratch are above) into 2 equal halves and roll each half into a very thin sheet with a rolling pin. Make sure to have flour on hand and dust the working surface or rolling pan when necessary, because the dough will be sticky. It’s important that the ravioli dough be rolled very thinly (paper-thin), otherwise ravioli will be too solid when cooked, because dough expands during cooking. Also it will be really hard to use the ravioli mold if the dough is not thin enough.
   
   
2. Once you rolled sheets of dough, shape individual raviolis. To shape ravioli, I use a very handy device, ravioli mould/tray, which works great!

How to make tomato cream sauce:

1. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Chop 2 tomatoes and garlic and add to the pan. Cook covered for about 10 minutes until tomatoes soften.
   
   
2. Add white wine and chopped thyme. Bring to boil and cook uncovered for 5 more minutes until half of liquid evaporates. Remove from heat, let it cool for a bit.
   
   
3. Then transfer to blender and puree the tomato mixture. Transfer the puree back to the pan, reheat to medium heat and add heavy cream. Stir until well incorporated.
   
   
4. Cut each grape tomato in half and add all of them to the pan with the tomato cream sauce. Salt to taste and and more chopped thyme if needed. Cook for 5 more minutes.
   
   
5. To serve, add cooked ravioli to the sauce at the last minute. Allow both ravioli and the sauce achieve same temperature. When serving on plates, garnish with thyme.

This great family recipe is thanks to Julia's Album Recipes at https://juliasalbum.com/spinach-ravioli-cream-sauce-ricotta-cheese-filling-cherry-tomatoes-recipe/

This soup is such a family treasure, I cook the tortellini separately, but you can let it plump up in the soup broth too!

Prep Time

    •    Prep and cook time: 30 minutes
    •    Yield: Serves 8

Ingredients

    •    1 tsp Italian seasoning
    •    3 cups fresh spinach, thinly sliced
    •    1 pound bulk hot or mild Italian sausage
    •    2 cartons (32 ounces each) chicken broth
    •    1 can fire-roasted or Italian diced tomatoes
    •    1 package (9 ounces) refrigerated cheese tortellini

Method

1. In a 6-qt. stockpot, bring broth to a boil. Carefully drop sausage by heaping teaspoonfuls into boiling broth. Add tortellini, tomatoes and Italian seasoning; return to a boil.
2. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 8-10 minutes or until sausage is cooked through and pasta is tender. Stir in spinach until wilted.
   
   Freeze Option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth if necessary.

This great family recipe is thanks to Taste-of-Home Recipes at https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/spicy-sausage-soup-with-tortellini/

An easy, delicious recipe for Cheese Tortellini in garlic butter sauce. Whether you want a hot appetizer for a party or a tasty, comforting weeknight meal option, double the batch because everyone is going to love it! Use refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini; either way, it's ready in 15 minutes or less!

Prep Time

    •    Prep and cook time: 15 minutes
    •    Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

    •    4 tbsps butter
    •    2 tsps dried basil
    •    2 tbsps cornstarch
    •    2 cloves garlic minced
    •    fresh basil for garnish (Optional)
    •    1/4 cup parmesan cheese for garnish
    •    1 package (16 ounce) frozen cheese tortellini
    •    32 ounces chicken broth or vegetable broth, divided

Method

1. In a large pot, bring 2 1/2 cups broth to a boil. Add cheese tortellini. Return to a boil and cook until the tortellini float to the top of the water,about 3 minutes. The internal temperature of a tortellini should be 165ºF. Drain completely.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together remaining 1 1/2 cups broth with corn starch. In a large non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Stir in garlic and basil and cook 2 minutes.
3. Add broth-cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil; simmer until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes longer. Add the cooked tortellini to the skillet and toss to coat.
4. Pour into a serving dish and garnish with parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.

NOTES:

    •    To make this dish vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

    •    Refrigerated tortellini can be substituted; it will float in 2 to 3 minutes. If you want to use dried tortellini, follow the instructions on the package (should be about 10 to 11 minutes).

    •    Serves 8 as an appetizer or first course (2 ounces per person, 275 calories per serving). Keep warm in a slow cooker if serving a buffet.

This great family recipe is thanks to Culinary Hill Recipes at https://www.culinaryhill.com/cheese-tortellini-in-garlic-basil-sauce/

Prep Time

    •    Prep time: 25 minutes
    •    Cook time: 5 minutes
    •    Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

    •    1/2 tsp salt
    •    oil for frying
    •    2 large eggs
    •    2 tbsps 2% milk
    •    1 tsp garlic powder
    •    1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
    •    2 tbsps grated pecorino romano cheese
    •    1 package refrigerated prosciutto ricotta tortellini

For tomato sauce:

    •    1/4 tsp salt
    •    1 tbsp olive oil
    •    1/4 tsp pepper
    •    1 can tomato puree
    •    1 tbsp minced fresh basil
    •    additional minced fresh basil
    •    3 tbsps finely chopped onion
    •    4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

Method

1. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. In another bowl, stir together the next five ingredients.
2. In a cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat 1/4 in. oil to 375°. Dip tortellini in egg mixture, then in bread crumb mixture to coat. Fry tortellini in batches, adding oil as necessary, until golden brown, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking until softened. Stir in tomato puree, basil, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Sprinkle with minced fresh basil.
4. Serve tortellini with tomato sauce for dipping.

This great family recipe is thanks to Taste-of-Home Recipes at https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/fried-prosciutto-tortellini/