tortellini à la cherry tomatoes

Name: Tortelloni à la Cherry Tomatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 18 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pound(s) cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen); 20-30 cherry tomatoes cut in half (about a pint); 1/2 large Vidalia or sweet onion sliced thin - not chopped; 4 clove(s) garlic, sliced thin lengthwise; 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil; 1 teaspoon(s) salt; 1/2 teaspoon(s) black pepper or twenty twists of fresh ground; 2 dash(es) ground nutmeg; 2 large sprigs fresh basil (10-15 leaves per sprig); 1/4 teaspoon(s) chili flakes; 2 cup(s) pasta water, reserved after boiling; 2 tablespoon(s) butter; 1 cup(s) half and half; 1 tablespoon(s) corn starch

(2 RATINGS)

81 Pinches 7 Photos

Sanity Chek

Annapolis, MD

Updated on Aug 12, 2021

This is a great way to prepare pasta without reaching for a jar of sauce! Great flavor, fun to make and everyone will enjoy. This dish is just spicy enough to be called spicy. Reduce chili pepper flakes to your liking or add none at all. It will still taste great.

Rate

A bowl of Tortelloni a la Cherry Tomatoes.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Want to make an easy pasta dish for dinner tonight? Give this one a try. We were pleasantly surprised with how much favor is in this dish. The bright cherry tomatoes and fresh basil add a sweet flavor. Red pepper flakes add a punch of spice (and can be omitted if necessary). The pasta is topped with a creamy half and half sauce that absorbs into the soft and cheesy pasta. Serve with garlic bread and a fresh crisp salad for an easy weeknight meal.

— The Test Kitchen

prep time 10 Min

cook time 18 Min

method Saute

yield

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
20-30 cherry tomatoes cut in half (about a pint)
1/2 large Vidalia or sweet onion sliced thin - not chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper or twenty twists of fresh ground
2 dashes ground nutmeg
2 large sprigs fresh basil (10-15 leaves per sprig)
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
2 cups pasta water, reserved after boiling
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup half and half
1 tablespoon corn starch

How To Make tortellini à la cherry tomatoes

Step 1

Prepare a large pot of boiling water to boil your tortellini.

Step 2

While that's heating, in a large sauté pan, add the olive oil (or any light neutral-flavored oil... I use grape-seed oil) and heat on medium heat. Toss in the onion sliced, garlic, chili pepper flakes, salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1 large sprig of fresh basil leaves separated from the stalk, & tomato halves. Saute on medium to heat for about 20 minutes, switching to med-low halfway. You want to keep your onions translucent or golden, but not browned. Add the two Tbsp butter here at this point. You want to start to see liquid at the bottom as you are stirring.
Step 3

Drop your tortellini in the ready and waiting boiling cook 3-4 min. If frozen, you may want to cook a couple of min longer. Remove from water quickly with a large slotted spoon into the saute pan with the other ingredients. Save the pasta water! Turn the heat on your sauté pan back up to medium.
Step 4

Take one cup of the pasta water and add to the saute pan. Stir the pasta and the other ingredients gently so the tortellini don’t break. Let this simmer for 2 min.
Step 5

Mix corn starch into one cup half and half so it is dissolved completely. Pour into pasta mixture. Toss gently a few times. You will see the sauce quickly start to turn into a glaze that sticks to the tortellini within 1-2 min. If your sauce is thicker than you like, add another 1/2-cup of pasta water and toss. Remove from heat. At this point, you're ready to serve!
Step 6

Serve each plate (or bowl) with freshly grated cheese, add 2-3 drizzles of olive oil, and decorate with fresh basil leaves.
Last Step: Don't forget to share! Post a picture of your finished recipe here and on your favorite social network. Don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes!

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