TORTELLINI BAKE

Sometimes I just want a cheesy pasta bake, and when I do, this one hits the mark. Its quick and easy. You can make it with a lot of cheese or a little, heavy on the sauce or light, even add a little spice to it to give it a lift. You can use vodka sauce, arrabbiata, or simple marinara. You can make enough for an army or just a dinner for two with a small side salad. Seriously, it's all up to you.

If you are like me and love toasted melted motz, then use a block of fresh mozzarella sliced thin.

Make it ahead. Assemble and place in the fridge for a couple days and back per instructions. To freeze, you can assemble, wrap it in plastic wrap, then foil and freeze for up to a month.

EQUIPMENT:

• Pot

• Casserole Dish

• Sheet Pan

• Slotted Spoon

• Foil

INGREDIENTS

• Frozen or fresh tortellini

• 1-2 tsp Olive oil (scale to amount of protein used)

• Ground turkey (optional; amount depends on your taste and how much you're making)

• Shallot, small dice (amount to taste)

• Salt and pepper (to taste)

• Fresh mozzarella, block grated or sliced; or bag of shredded

• Fresh parmesean, block grated or bag of shredded

• Your favorite pasta sauce (jarred or fresh)

• Fresh basil (amount to taste)

• Italian seasoning (amount to taste)

• Cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375 F

2. Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium high heat.

3. Add shallot, ground turkey and season with salt and pepper. Cook until ground turkey is cooked through, remove from heat.

4. Add Italian seasoning and basil to ground turkey and mix thoroughly and set aside.

5. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add tortellini. Boil for half the amount of time as instructed on the package. (Meaning if it says boil for 4 minutes, boil only for 2).

6. Remove from heat and set aside, leaving the tortellini in the water.

7. Begin assembling the casserole:

   1. In a casserole dish, add a small amount of sauce, just to wet the bottom.

   2. Add a layer of meat.

   3. Add a layer of tortellini (directly from the water with a slotted spoon; if some pasta water carries over, its ok as it will thicken the casserole and help continue to cook the tortellini.

   4. Add a layer of cheese.

   5. Repeat these steps until all ingredients have been used (saving some extra cheese for the top).

   6. Add rest of cheese to the top. I like to add a few extra slices of motz here.

8. Place the casserole dish on a sheet pan (to catch any cheese or sauce that may boil over side).

9. Cut a large enough piece of foil to tent the casserole dish and spray with cooking spray.

10. Oiled side down, tent the foil over the casserole.

11. Bake for 45 mins.

12. Remove foil (carefully!)

13. Continue to bake for 15 mins or until cheese becomes melty and toasted (if you like that!)

14. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 10 mins. It will be pipping HOT!

YUM!!!