Tortellini Alla Panna

Alla Panna is cream sauce. So this is Tortellinii alla panna - tortellini stuffed with cheese, in cream sauce, with sausage, mushrooms & peas(optional). Simple, yet elegant dish that is palate and crowd pleaser and doesn't make a big hole in your wallet! Now that's what you need in these trying economic times.  I also make this whenever I am crunched for time.  Same thing happened Saturday evening. Normally I make an elaborate 3-course meal for Saturday night dinner.  This past Saturday was a rush rush.  Didn't have much time to sit down and enjoy a large meal as we were going to the church right after the dinner is done.  We were only allowed about 30 minutes for having our dinner. So I made this wonderful, satisfying, one pot pasta dish and  some balsamic glazed carrots to round out the meal.

Tortellini Alla Panna

Ingredients

1 lb. fresh tortellini(you can use ravioli)

1 lb. hot Italian Turkey sausage, casing removed

1 lb mushrooms, sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

Garlic, chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

1-2 cups half n half

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp all purpose flour

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

How to:

In a sauce pot, melt butter, add onion and garlic, cook till onion is translucent and garlic is fragrant, for about 4-5 minutes.

Add flour and cook further till the raw flour smell disappears.

Crumble the sausage, add to the onion-garlic mix and cook till sausage is brown. Add more oil if it sticks to the bottom of the pan.

Add mushrooms, cook till golden brown in color.

Add salt, pepper, half n half and simmer till the sauce thickens.

In the meantime, cook pasta per package directions.

Transfer the cooked pasta in the sauce pot, toss and serve hot with the baguette(you need it to wipe the plate clean!)

For the glazed carrots, slice baby carrots in half, toss with balsamic vinegar,salt, pepper, a  bit of oil. Roast in hot oven till caramelized and tender.