Lemon Sauce for Store-Bought Tortellini
In an ideal world, we can spend countless hours making fresh pasta and stuffing, then shaping tortellini and co. Time management reality kicked in long ago, and we all love a shortcut or two.
Here come the store-bought Tortellini! Count to 10; once the water is boiling, dinner will be ready in less than 10 minutes, with just the right lemon notes and a comfort-filled dish. There is no cream, a few ingredients you probably already have, and the magic of pasta-cooking-water. This is a recipe I make often, and I keep it for last-minute plans.
Note on store-bought tortellini: You can find them fresh in the supermarket's refrigerated section or at an Italian Deli. You’ll have multiple varieties like spinach and ricotta, basil pesto, mushroom, and even lobster… We tried a few, but the current favorite is organic three-cheese tortellini.
Tips for Lemon Zest: When grating the lemon and extracting the zest, try not to push hard on the fruit and avoid the “white” section of the peel because it is bitter. The small pockets of intense flavor are in the yellow part of the skin. I use a super fine microplane grater. I hold the lemon in one hand, and with the other, I lightly pass the Microplane grater on top of the lemon peel. I end up with light zest that dissolves when mixed or cooked. You get the flavors but not the thick curly residue. Your patience will be rewarded! (:
Lemon Sauce for Store-Bought Tortellini
Recipe credits: Rafaella Sargi
Ingredients
1 pound fresh tortellini
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon of flaky salt (I use fleur de sel)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup pasta water
For serving
Grated Parmesan
Black pepper
Fresh basil leaves
Directions
You will need one large pot, a slotted spoon, a whisk, and a large skillet.
Bring a large pot of water to a boiling point. Add salt, then the tortellini, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes (or as directed on the pack).
While the tortellini are cooking, place a large skillet over medium heat with the butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, salt, and black pepper. Whisk well until the parmesan has melted. Remove 1/2 cup of the tortellini cooking water and add it to the skillet. You are making a sauce… Mix again until smooth and homogenous.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the cooked tortellini from the big pot of boiling water and place them directly in the pan with the sauce. Mix delicately to coat each tortellini with the sauce you just made.
Serve immediately, topped with extra parmesan cheese, a few cracks of black pepper, and fresh basil leaves.
Bon Appétit!
