Red Lentil Soup with Butternut Squash and Cheese Tortellini

Ingredients

Cheese Tortellini

2 cups plus more for dusting all-purpose King Arthur flour*

1/2 teaspoon salt plus more for salting water

2 whole large eggs*

4 yolks from 4 large eggs*

1-2 teaspoons olive oil for drizzle when cooked

Filling

6 ounces Grafton Cheddar Cheese*

6 ounces Cabot Cream Cheese*

2 egg whites (reserved from pasta dough)

Soup

4 celery sticks, chopped bite size, reserve leaf for garnish

1 large carrot, chopped bite size*

1 yellow onion, chopped bite size*

5 sprigs thyme, chopped fine

5 sprigs parsley, chopped fine

5 sprigs cilantro, chopped fine

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 jalapeno pepper, only outside – no seeds, chopped

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup red lentils

1/2 lemon, cut in half for juice

1/2 lime, cut in half for juice

2 1/2 tablespoons veggie soup base

8 cups of water

3 cups diced butternut squash*

*Lively Local ingredient

Cheese Tortellini

Prepare the cheese filling by mixing cheddar cheese, cream cheese and two egg whites (leftover from pasta dough) in a bowl. Set aside.

Prepare pasta dough in food processor by mixing: flour, salt, and eggs. Pulse to mix and adjust for texture with additional flour.

Roll through pasta roller, flour as needed, one setting at a time until setting 5.

Set dough on floured board, cut with oval cookie cutter, and remove scraps.

Cut 50 tortellini.

Fill each round with 1/4 teaspoon of filling, fold over, gently press closed and pull ends together

Set aside on the lightly floured board

Cook the tortellini by boiling salted water, add pasta and cook for approximately 3 minutes.

Remove from water and rinse with cold water, drizzle with olive oil.

Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup

In a large pot over medium heat, heat coconut oil; add celery, carrots, onion and the fresh herbs. Sauté until softened and translucent.  

Add jalapeno, garlic powder, cumin and stir.

Add squeezed juice of lemon and lime.

Add red lentils. squash and stir. Turn mixture over and let rest for one minute before turning again. Cook until squash and lentils are tender.

Mix veggie base with water and pour 7 cups into the soup pot and bring mixture to a boil. Reserve one cup broth for refining taste later.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are soft.

Taste. Adjust as needed while simmering with reserved broth.

Just before serving, add the tortellini to the soup to warm the pasta.

Garnish celery leaf.