With summer ending, and colder days approaching I have started to push cold dinners and salads to one side. It’s time to start to embrace the warmth and hibernate.
I love those little tortellini or capelletti filled with prosciutto & Parmesan. The hand made kind are just so delicate & beautiful to look at. Tortellini are also just heavenly on the palate with the fusion of Parmesan & prosciutto crudo (Parma ham). However, the dry, pre-packaged kind doesn’t offend me at all. You can pick them at all all good Italian delicatessens and as long as you have a supply in your kitchen cupboard, you’ll be able to enjoy these little parcels of heaven whenever you want.
I have cooked these dry tortellini in various dishes, but my favourite is in a clear broth or in minestrone with loads of veggies, perfect for those chilly nights. Here is my quick cheat minestrone with these little parcels of heaven.
Ingredients
250g dry tortellini, prosciutto & Parmesan
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 courgette, sliced
10 pomodorini or cherry tomatoes, halved
1,5 litres Vegetable stock
Parmesan, (optional to serve)
- Drzzle Olive oil in a deep pan at a medium heat, add all the vegetables (apart from the tomatoes), season with salt, cover and cook until all the vegetables have softened.
- Then add the tomatoes & cook for another 5-10 minutes until they have softened a little.
- Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, cover and turn down the heat; allow to simmer for at least 40 mins to and hour. (Taste the broth while cooking and ensure it is flavoursome & add seasoning if necessary).
- Then add the dry tortellini and cook for as long as stated on the packet.
- Serve in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle Parmesan.
