Cheese Tortellini with Spinach and Asparagus

Cheese Tortellini with Spinach and Asparagus

Week 2, day 1 of My Eating Well Challenge. We’re moving on to the next cookbook: The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook: 150 Delicioius Recipes for Simple, Everyday Suppers in 45 Minutes or Less. At some point I must’ve meant to cook 100 of these recipes, because it’s got Post-Its throughout.

I made a few modifications from the original recipe for Florentine Ravioli, as I wanted to use some leftover fresh spinach as opposed to the frozen spinach the recipe calls for, and had some fresh asparagus on hand. (You’ll notice a lot of asparagus in my recipes and photos; it’s asparagus season here in the northeast.)

This makes for a good, filling supper, and is super easy to fix on a weeknight after work. However, it’s not anything to ooh-and-ah over. You’d think with four large cloves of garlic it would have had more oomph. Next time I’ll add more garlic and crushed red pepper. On the upside, it has pasta, which is wonderful comfort food.

Cheese Tortellini with Spinach and Asparagus
Adapted from the EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook
Serves 4

1/2 lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1 20-ounce package cheese ravioli, or tortellini (4 cups)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 ounces fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Set a large pot of water to boil. Cook the asparagus in the water until just tender, about 3 minutes, and remove it with a slotted spoon, reserving the water.

2. Bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta per the package directions.

3. In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan. Add the garlic, salt, and crushed red pepper, and saute for 30 seconds. Add the spinach, asparagus, and water, and toss until the spinach wilts. Remove the pan from the heat.

4. Drain the pasta, and toss it into the pan with the spinach and asparagus, and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Toss until well combined, portion into four bowls, top with cheese, and serve immediately.

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