Over a year ago, when I still lived in the States, I turned the TV to Food Network and Giada was on, finishing up a pasta dish that looked super easy. It seemed a little too "semi-homemade" to me, though, so I wasn't really interested, until she pulled it out of the oven. It was beautiful looking- baked pasta with a crispy, cheesy crust. The ingredients were something I happened to have on hand, too (except for smoked mozzarella- I've never been able to get ahold of that). I gave it a try soon after, and the whole family loved it. Now, I turn to this recipe now and again when I need something fast, filling, easy, and family friendly.I substitute smoked provolone for the mozzarella, and I use slightly more pasta and sauce (just the sizes I happen to be able to get ahold of easily). It works well. Since I can't get Trader Joe's pasta sauces anymore, I use Classico- they don't have a lot of scary, extra ingredients, and there's no added sugar, either. Newman's Own is good, too. If you make this, you'll have enough mascarpone leftover to make this pasta dish! (The amount of mascarpone in this recipe can vary slightly- from 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup, and it won't really matter. Sometimes I just use whatever I have).
Cheesy Baked Tortellini
Olive oil
24 ounces marinara or meatless pasta sauce
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
19 ounces purchased cheese tortellini
4-5 thin slices smoked provolone
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
24 ounces marinara or meatless pasta sauce
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
19 ounces purchased cheese tortellini
4-5 thin slices smoked provolone
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish.
2. Whisk the sauce, mascarpone cheese, parsley and thyme in a large bowl to blend.
2. Whisk the sauce, mascarpone cheese, parsley and thyme in a large bowl to blend.
3. Meanwhile, cook the tortellini in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Add the tortellini to the sauce and toss to coat.
4. Transfer the tortellini mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top the mixture with the smoked mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheeses on top melt, about 30 minutes. 
Ok Im oficially wishing we were neighbors..this looks so amazing..Im going to hunt around for the ingredients here and see if I can make it too:)
ReplyDeleteI wish we were neighbors too. :) That photo is making my mouth water. Slurp!
ReplyDelete