Tortellini with peas and pesto
It's the last minute before the potluck/school auction/just plain dinner. You have little will and even fewer ingredients. What will you do?
If you are like me, you will keep the ingredients for the following nearly-instant recipe in your freezer and pantry (if you buy pesto in a tube) so that you will always have dinner. And my kids don't love it -- but they don't hate it! Which I told them classifies it as a success.
Here's how to make it:
Cheese Tortellini with Pesto and Peas
Serves 6
19 ounces frozen cheese tortellini
16 ounces frozen peas
1/4 to 1/2 cup prepared pesto
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring a pot of water to a boil according to tortellini package directions. Add tortellini and peas together. Cook until tortellini is al dente and floats to the top of the pot. Reserve about ½ cup of cooking water, then drain the pasta and peas. Return pasta and peas to the pot. Mix in pesto and reserved cooking water. Transfer the mixture to serving bowls and sprinkle cheese over the top. Add salt and pepper if desired.
Per serving (based on 1/2 cup pesto): 448 calories, 17 grams fat, 21 grams protein, 6 grams saturated fat, 6 grams fiber, 47 milligrams cholesterol, 569 milligrams sodium. Analysis by registered dietitian Jodie Shield.
Photo by me
Comments
I loved to add cubed grilled chicken to this dish too and less peas.
That would be a great variation! KS
Posted by: MadCow | March 3, 2010 12:20 PM