My husband and I made up a “Pasta Ardente” dish years ago with a combination of Italian sausage, pasta, diced tomatoes and cream. My sister passed on another recipe we love to make combining tortellini and veggies. A Sunset Magazine challenge brought both of these to mind, and inspired me to try combining the best and quickest elements of both to create a healthy, easy weeknight meal! Whether it wins the contest or not, thanks goes to Sunset for giving me the idea for fantastic dish!
extra virgin olive oil
2-3 shallots, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage (ground)
1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage (ground)
1 large red pepper, cut into strips
1/2 lb broccoli, cut into small florets
1/2 lb zucchini, sliced & split into half rounds
1/2 lb yellow squash, sliced & split into half rounds
1 lb package of 3-cheese tortellini (Buitoni)
12 oz jar of Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo sauce (Classico)
~2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
black pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of salted water and about a tablespoon olive oil to a boil. Meanwhile, warm a tablespoon of olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat and add shallots and garlic; sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add sausages and sauté until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain the cooked sausage and set aside. Return the skillet to medium heat with another couple tablespoons of olive oil, then add red pepper and other veggies, stirring often until soft and just browned.
When water is boiling and veggies are almost done, cook tortellini a couple of minutes short of the package directions. Drain pasta, return to pot, then add sausage, veggies, and sauce to pot, along with about half a cup Parmesan cheese (to taste) and a little more olive oil as well. Stir together until warmed through. Season with black pepper to taste.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Time to make: 30-45 minutes
Source: Angela Hoffman
*This recipe was submitted for the Sunset Magazine September 2010 “Reader Weeknight Challenge” recipe contest.*