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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Tortellini and Roasted Vegetables


Around here, we're getting tired of looking at (and dealing with) Thanksgiving leftovers.  We needed a meal this week that bore no resemblance to turkey and stuffing, and had never met a sweet potato.  We did a bit of improvising and wound up with an easy and tasty weeknight dinner (and don't we all need more of those).  My husband gets credit for the general idea, and I did some fine tuning during the execution.  This was a big hit with all of us, including our six-month-old daughter.  Sorry - I didn't get a chance to take a photo!

A word to the timid:  try not to shy away from ample salt, butter and toppings.  They are the fine line between boring and brilliant here.

Chop half a head of cauliflower and an equivalent amount of broccoli into medium-sized pieces.  Toss with several minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of salt, juice from half a lemon and enough olive oil to thoroughly coat everything.  Roast in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until completely tender and beginning to brown - stir the mixture every 15 minutes or so. 

Meanwhile, mix some fresh bread crumbs with melted butter and toast in a skillet over medium heat.  In a large pot, cook a pound of tortellini or small ravioli.  Drain the pasta, reserving at least one cup of the cooking water.

Combine cooked pasta, roasted vegetables, a tablespoon or two of butter and a few splashes of the pasta cooking water.  Add a bit more olive oil if it appears too dry (but bear in mind this will basically be sauce-less).  Serve with toasted bread crumbs, crushed red peppers and freshly grated Parmesan.

Enjoy!



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