Creamy Tortellini with Greens & Pepper
Tortellini with cacio e pepe and wilted greens cooked in a skillet.
Toss away the idea of bringing a kettle of water to a rolling boil. This dish, which is made in only one pan and is inspired by traditional Roman pasta, could not be simpler.
How can you speed up the cooking time of a pasta that already cooks quickly?
Put out the fire with the boiling pot of water! This tortellini supper can be prepared in about twenty minutes and requires just one pan, which means you will have less dishes to clean and more time to relax with your meal. It is modeled after the traditional Roman pasta dish called cacio e pepe, whose velvety and opulently fragrant sauce is produced with only two ingredients: lots of freshly crushed black pepper and salty Pecorino Romano cheese.
In this preparation, the tortellini, whether fresh or frozen, is cooked directly in the pan while the sauce, which is made from the cooking water, thickens and becomes glossy. Not only do tender, wilted greens offer color, but they also give volume to the pasta, turning this dish into a genuine one-pan meal. This is a supper that will make you feel fantastic and is perfect for those times when you have a lot going on.
What to Do If You Don’t Have Any Water That’s Boiling to Make Tortellini
Tortellini may be boiled in a matter of minutes, but the time it takes to bring a large pot of salted water to a boil is time that might be better spent elsewhere. Not to mention the fact that this results in the need to clean an additional dish. One of my go-to strategies for getting pasta on the table more quickly and with a minimum of fuss involves cooking tortellini directly in their sauce as they are being browned in a pan.
This method may be used with either fresh or frozen tortellini depending on your preference. In this recipe, I ask for cheese tortellini, but you may use whatever filling you like—meat, mushrooms, or anything else. Before adding water to cook the tortellini, you get to give it a quick fry in the pan, which is where the most of the excitement resides. This produces patches and edges on the pasta that are crisp, deep golden brown in color, and lends a toasted taste as well as additional texture.
After the tortellini have developed some spots of color, you will add water into the pan, rapidly cover it, and let the pasta to steam until it reaches the al dente stage. As the water evaporates, it will start to stick, so you will need to gently open the cover and stir it regularly. This will prevent it from sticking completely. A portion of the starch from the pasta will be released into the cooking water as it cooks.
Stirring the tortellini as it is cooking helps the water, which has now become starchy, cover the tortellini in a luscious sauce. After the pasta has been cooked, the cacio e pepe sauce may be finished by adding a few large handfuls of greens, cooking them until they are just wilted, and then stirring in a lot of grated Pecorino cheese.
The Highest Quality Greens to Employ
Because simplicity is the name of the game for this skillet supper, my go-to greens of choice are baby spinach or kale. Both arrive already cleaned, and all it takes is a minute or two for them to wilt in the heat of the spaghetti. You may also choose baby or normal arugula if you want the pepperiness to be amped up even more. Baby arugula has a milder flavor than regular arugula.
Alternate Ways and Substitutes
As I’ve already indicated, I prefer to make this dish using cheese tortellini since it’s the easiest thing to get and I’ll never say no to additional cheese. Nevertheless, tortellini, either fresh or frozen, stuffed with any filling, whether it sausage, spinach, ground beef, mushrooms, or something else entirely.
Cacio e pepe is traditionally made using Pecorino Romano cheese, so it should be your first pick. The Roman aged sheep’s milk cheese has a salty flavor, a nutty flavor, and a spicy flavor, which ensures that the sauce will be just as robust as it will be cheesy. In the event that you are unable to locate it in any of the grocery shops in your area, you may use the same quantity of Parmesan cheese as an acceptable replacement. The final meal will have a little less vitality, but it will definitely still be mouthwateringly wonderful.
The Highest Quality Greens to Employ
Because simplicity is the name of the game for this skillet supper, my go-to greens of choice are baby spinach or kale. Both arrive already cleaned, and all it takes is a minute or two for them to wilt in the heat of the spaghetti. You may also choose baby or normal arugula if you want the pepperiness to be amped up even more. Baby arugula has a milder flavor than regular arugula.
Alternate Ways and Substitutes
As I’ve already indicated, I prefer to make this dish using cheese tortellini since it’s the easiest thing to get and I’ll never say no to additional cheese. Nevertheless, tortellini, either fresh or frozen, stuffed with any filling, whether it sausage, spinach, ground beef, mushrooms, or something else entirely.
Cacio e pepe is traditionally made using Pecorino Romano cheese, so it should be your first pick. The Roman aged sheep’s milk cheese has a salty flavor, a nutty flavor, and a spicy flavor, which ensures that the sauce will be just as robust as it will be cheesy. In the event that you are unable to locate it in any of the grocery shops in your area, you may use the same quantity of Parmesan cheese as an acceptable replacement. The final meal will have a little less vitality, but it will definitely still be mouthwateringly wonderful.
Method
Tortellini should be seared:
In a cast iron pan about 12 inches in diameter and containing three tablespoons of olive oil, bring the oil to a shimmering temperature over medium heat. After creating an even layer, add the tortellini. Cook for two to four minutes, mixing the mixture regularly, until it has developed some wonderful brown spots.
Prepare the tortellini as follows:
The water, kosher salt, and black pepper should all be added now. Combine the ingredients by stirring with a wooden spoon while scraping the browned pieces from the bottom of the pan. Cook the pasta until it is soft and glossy and nearly all of the water has evaporated, which should take between three and five minutes. To cook the pasta, cover the pan with a lid or a baking sheet and cook over medium heat, turning regularly and scraping any browned pieces from the bottom of the pan.
TIP RIGHT HERE!
Use a potholder to hold the baking sheet if you are going to use it as a cover. It gets hot!
After stirring in the greens and the cheese, the following may be served:
Take the pan off the heat and mix in the greens, a few handfuls at a time, for approximately two minutes, or until they are barely wilted. Mix in the shredded cheese along with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the mixing bowl. Additional shredded cheese and freshly ground black pepper should be used as garnishes before serving.
The leftovers may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW MORE RECIPES, PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINK.