Tortellini with Spinach Walnut Pesto
For a complete meal, serve with Balsamic Roast Pork Tenderloins, Roast Ratatouille and a Soft Cheese Board.
Browning walnuts in the toaster oven is convenient, but you have to be careful because the oil in the nuts gets very hot and it doesn’t take much for them to go from toasted to burnt. –RR
Ingredients
- 4 ounces chopped walnuts
- 2 family-size packages (18 ounces each), cheese or mushroom and cheese filled fresh tortellini, sold on dairy aisle of market
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- 1 package baby spinach (10 ounces), reserve a few leaves for garnish
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese (a couple of handfuls)
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- Salt and pepper
- Edible flowers, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Toast the walnut pieces in a small pan or toaster oven until lightly browned. Remove from the heat and cool.
Place a large pot of water on to boil. When it comes to rolling boil, salt the water and cook the tortellini, according to the package directions.
Heat the chicken stock or broth to a boil and remove from the heat.
Using a food processor and working in batches, grind the spinach leaves with the nuts, garlic and chicken stock. Transfer the paste into a large bowl. Stir in the cheese, nutmeg and EVOO, then season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Coat the hot, cooked tortellini with the sauce, tossing in the bowl you prepared the sauce in. Turn the pasta out onto a serving platter and garnish with a few baby spinach leaves and edible flowers (which are a nice touch at parties).
