Name: Spinach Tortellini in Creamy Walnut Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 burger bun or 2 bread slices, roughly torn into cubes; 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped; ½ cup pine nuts; ¾ cup milk; 2 garlic cloves; ¼ tsp salt; ½ tsp pepper; ¼ cup olive oil plus 1 tsp. for roasting garlic; ¼ cup finely grated parmersan or pecorino cheese; 8 frozen, store bought, spinach tortellini; Water, for boiling pasta

Authorpriya's mashupsCategoryCalifornia Days, Noodle Corner, RecipesDifficultyBeginner

Yields8 Servings

Prep Time5 minsCook Time10 minsTotal Time15 mins

Assembling the Ingredients

1 burger bun or 2 bread slices, roughly torn into cubes

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

½ cup pine nuts

¾ cup milk

2 garlic cloves

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

¼ cup olive oil plus 1 tsp. for roasting garlic

¼ cup finely grated parmersan or pecorino cheese

8 frozen, store bought, spinach tortellini

Water, for boiling pasta

Creating the Sauce:

1. Soak the bread in 3/4 cup milk for 5-10 mins. making sure all pieces are thoroughly submerged.
2. Roast garlic in 1 tsp. olive oil for 30 secs. to 1 min.
3. Blend all the ingredients–except the pasta–to a smooth puree. If necessary, add 1/4 cup more milk to get the consistency you desire. Its okay if the sauce is a little grainy from the nuts. It is not unpleasant and adds a nice texture.

Pairing Pasta With Sauce:

1. Drop the tortellini in boiling water as per package instructions.
Take it out 2 mins. before finishing time.
2. Add a little pasta water to 4 tbsp. of the sauce and heat on med. for 2 mins.
3. Add the tortellini to the sauce, cover and cook for 2 mins.
4. Finally, to complete the meal, I serve the spinach tortellini with a side of strawberries and some lightly salted butter/northern beans.
5. I freeze the rest of the sauce in ice cube molds that have covers. There's enough for at least, another 5-6 meals.