Fast-Cooked-Food #1Spinach Tortelloni
These days you can get cheap fresh tortelloni in most supermarkets (here at any rate).
- they usually have a spinach+cheese/ricotta or meat fillings or sometimes tomato+cheese.
- I like the spinach ones the best - I wouldnt get the meat filled ones - in my experience they dont taste so good
- the trick with these is to cook them for 5 minutes or so (taste to check if done) - they usually say 2 mins, but in my experience the filling is never properly cooked at that stage
Ingredients:
- Tortelloni (read above) I use 400g packet for two people (just under a pound weight)
- Fresh Spinach, lots of it - shrinks a huge amount (maybe 400 grams for two, less is okay). Have nothing against frozen spinach but I dont think it would work with this
- Parmesan (not dried/powdered) - or comparable 'hard' cheese
- Olive oil - or some other oil with a bit of character
- Sea Salt
Pot for pasta
Pot for spinach -
not non-stick - I use a low-sided stainless steel pan (with a lid) and chop the cooked leaves in the pot
Sequence might not always be
exactly the same here:
1) put water on for the pasta - I usually put smallish amount of water in the pot, and boil the rest in the kettle; add the kettle water when the pot is already boiling (quickest method)
2) Wash the spinach well - if it's not seperate leaves, twist off the base of the plants, and give another quick rinse.
3) add the tortelloni to boiling water - if the pasta comes out as a block, let it boil a bit, then tease the tortelloni apart with a spoon or wooden spoon so they dont rip.
4) Throw spinach in a pot on high - dont let it drain *too* much before hand - I take it out of a basin of water, shake, and throw it in the pot. Add tight fitting lid.
When the spinach starts to boil/steam, turn the heat down. It cooks very quickly - can take a bit longer if it's large leaves. As soon as it starts to reduce you can turn the leaves en masse, then turn off the heat and replace the lid.
5) taste pasta. drain when done.
6) chop the spinach in the pan, criss-cross. I use a fork and cheap serrated knife (steak knife would do)
7) 'Shave' the parmesan, with a small sharp-ish knife. Like peeling a potato. It's usually sold in a wedge here - I shave the short side/end. Your call how much here, I like lots of it
Finally,
either in one of the pots, or a heated bowl, or a plastic bowl (doesnt cool down ingredients so much) combine the ingredients:
- Tortelloni
- Chopped Spinach
- Two overflowing desert spoons olive oil
- Lots of parmesan
- Salt to taste
Toss the ingredients, serve on warmed plates.
Important is, not to let it cool down too much.
Alternatively (especially good when cooking for one) mix the ingredients directly in a bowl or plate with deep centre. And eat it ;-)
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