I’ve accepted recently that cooking doesn’t always have to mean making EVERYTHING from scratch. For example, I use De Cecco dried pasta, and I don’t make my own, and I don’t consider that cheating. So for the occasional dish, why not start with pre-made tortellini or ravioli and work on making a sauce to jazz it up?
This Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tortellini is so delicious and takes a basic pre-made three cheese tortellini from basic to gourmet.
You’ll need:
- 1 16 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if you like your sauces spicy)
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/4 cup vodka (substitute water for non-alcoholic version)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- 20 oz fresh or frozen three cheese tortellini
Instructions:
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini until al dente, drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add this mixture to a food processor.
- Add red peppers to food processor and blend all ingredients until smooth.
- Return the skillet to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive, oil, oregano, tomato paste and red pepper flakes. Cook 4 minutes, until sauce is thickened. Stir in vodka and cook another 2 minutes.
- Stir in the blended red pepper sauce, cream and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the sauce is complete, add the cooked tortellini to the pot and mix everything together. Serve, topping with fresh basil, if desired.
Source: Adapted from a recipe by Half Baked Harvest