Tortellini with Peas and Prosciutto

When Mother’s Day arrived, Jamie said she wanted to make me dinner.  We have the kind of relationship that she considers me a second Mom, and I definitely consider her my third kid.  Tonight our schedules finally aligned and she and Nick took over my kitchen while I was at the gym with Madeline (I just couldn’t stay away another day).

When Madeline and I walked in the door, the table was set, there was a vase full of pink roses, and dinner was ready.  They even took the pictures of everything for me.  How cute are they?  I love that.  A local restaurant has a tortellini dish that Jamie loves, and she gets it as often as she can, so she has been on a mission to recreate it.  Knowing how much I and the kids like tortellini, it was the perfect meal for tonight.  I happened to find a recipe for something pretty similar to the dish in the April issue of Food Network magazine, and she and Nick went to town.  Within 45 minutes, they had both made dinner, dessert and set the table.

This dish is similar to the one that she loves so much, with the only difference being the restaurant version is a little saucier, so next time we’ll play with perhaps doubling the sauce.  Is it a wow?  No, but it’s a meal easy enough to make on a busy weeknight, whether it’s a belated Mother’s Day dinner or not, an everything-in-one-dish meal that was even kid-approved.  I’ve honestly never seen Madeline eat quite so many peas, but tonight she was all over them.

Oh, and dessert?  These chocolatey little fudge cups you see below?  A recipe to share next week.

I’m off until Sunday night.  Have an awesome weekend!

Project 365
May 20, 2010, Photo #99

No words necessary.

Tortellini with Peas and Prosciutto
Recipe courtesy of Food Network magazine, April 2010

Kosher salt
1 pound meat-filled tortellini
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces prosciutto or pancetta, finely chopped (we subbed ham this time, since we had some on hand, but next time would use the prosciutto, to give the dish the extra salt)
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook as the label directs.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and prosciutto and cook until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Ladle in about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and simmer until reduced by about half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

About 2 minutes before the tortellini are done, add the peas to the boiling water and cook until just tender. Drain the tortellini and peas and add to the skillet, tossing to coat with the sauce. Stir in the parsley. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.