Baked Tortellini for Two
From Cook's Illustrated. So yummy! and lovingly sized for two, or for one with leftovers! The sauce would also stand well on its own.
|
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
4 teaspoons olive oil 8 ounces dried tortellini 2 slices bacon, diced 2 shallots, minced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 cup white wine 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (~ 1/2 cup) 1/2 small head radicchio, cored and cut into 1/2" pieces 1/2 cup frozen peas |
1. Stir together panko crumbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt in a bowl and set aside. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400°.
2. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add tortellini and cook, stirring often, until tender. Drain and return to pot, tossing with remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil, and set aside. 3. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a 10" skillet over medium heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, roughly 3 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, roughly 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in wine and cook until almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in cream and broth, bring to a simmer, and cook, whisking often, until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste. 4. Add sauce, radicchio and peas to tortellini and toss gently to combine. Pour into an 8x8 pyrex dish. Sprinkle the panko crumbs over the top and bake until topping is brown and crisped and sauce is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Serve warm. |
A few tips: it's much much easier to dice bacon when it's frozen. Also, CI notes that the tortellini won't cook more when baking, so you should cook it to tenderness when you boil it.