Tortellini with Basil Cream Sauce
Team: The Sharpest Knives in the Drawer
Host School: Lake Champlain Waldorf School
Age Group: High School
Ingredients
½ c chopped parsley
1 ½ c ricotta
1c grated parmesan
1 egg yolk
¼ tsp nutmeg
1/4tsp salt
3 large eggs
2¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 tablespoons butter
1/4c onion finely chopped
1/4c celery finely chopped
1/2c carrots finely chopped
3/4c zucchini finely chopped
1/2c red pepper finely chopped
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper ground
8 spears asparagus
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup vegetable broth
6 oz Cabot Alpine Cheese, grated
6T basil finely chopped
2T parsley finely chopped
Preparation Instructions
Filling: Place parsley, ricotta, parmesan, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl and mix with a fork until all ingredients are evenly combined. Cover while making pasta.
Pasta: Place 1 3/4 cups flour in a bowl and make a well in the center. Break eggs into the well one by one and stir gently with a fork until the yolks and whites are mixed together. With the fork, gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs until the eggs are no longer runny. Maintain the flour walls of the well. Using both hands quickly bring the remaining flour over the egg mixture so that it is completely covered. Begin to gently knead until all the flour is mixed in with the eggs, you may need more flour: the dough should feel moist but not sticky. Place the dough on clean off a work area and begin kneading. Continue to knead until the dough is uniform and very smooth. Wrap in plastic and let rest for 20 minutes. Roll the dough through a pasta machine, one notch at a time until you are on the thinnest setting. Cut the dough into 3 inch squares and place a rounded teaspoon of filling in the center of each one. Moisten the edges with water and fold each square in half to form a triangle. Pinch the edges together to seal. Pull the two corners together, wrapping them around the tip of your finger and pinch the corners where they join. Cover with a cloth while you make the sauce.
Sauce: Peel asparagus stems in tough. Cut into 2-3 inch lengths and set aside.
Melt butter in a large skillet over med. heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden in color. Add carrot and celery and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add zucchini and red pepper and continue to sauté over medium heat until all vegetables are tender and lightly colored. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add asparagus to skillet and sauté for 1 minute. Add cream & stock and cook, stirring until reduced by half. Stir in half the cheese and basil and remove from heat.
While the cream is reducing, add the pasta to boiling salted water and cook until al dente. Divide the pasta on to serving plates and add sauce. Add more grated cheese and chopped parsley.