Episode Two: Tortellini with Sage-Walnut Sauce

After a recovery period following my failed attempt at realizing my secret dream of becoming a chef, Christian urged me to look through one of my books to find a recipe to try.  Needless to say, I was a bit apprehensive.  Nearly every time I have attempted a recipe in the history of my life, it has failed.  However I was feeling rather bold that day, and decided that it wouldn't be that hard, provided there were good instructions included.

I found this recipe in a book called Robin to the Rescue by Robin Miller, host of Food Network's Quick Fix Meals.  The book contains recipes that all seem to take less than an hour, and many of the recipes seem to contain as few ingredients as possible.  She offers alternative preparation methods, tips for reducing prep time by preparing ingredients in advance, and customization options.  The recipes are laid out in a very detailed format, which makes it easy for a novice cook to succeed!

Tortellini with Sage-Walnut Sauce
1 lb. cheese tortellini (use tri-color for extra color in the dish)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Preparation:
1. Cook the tortellini according to the package directions.  Drain and set aside.


2. While the tortellini are cooking, place the walnuts in a large dry skillet over medium heat and cook until they are toasted and fragrant, about 3 minutes, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning.  Remove the walnuts from the pan and set aside.


3. In the same skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the sage and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.  Add the broth, bring to a simmer, and let simmer for 5 minutes.


4. Reduce the heat to low, add the heavy cream, and let simmer for 1 minute to heat through.  Return the walnuts to the pan, stir in the tortellini, and cook for 1 minute to heat through.  Remove from the pan, stir in the parsley, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Regarding this recipe: I would have liked more sage flavor in the sauce.  Also, I followed the directions to the minute, mostly because I wasn't confident in my assessment of the status (for example, at what point is sage fragrant?  I could smell it when I put it in the pan).  Adding 1/2 cup of heavy cream, and only cooking for one minute, leads to an extremely runny sauce.  I feel that she was trying to lessen the amount of time, and then didn't allow for the sauce to reduce.  This resulted in a less flavorful pasta - though it was still tasty.  It was better the next day, as the sauce thickened in the refrigerator.

Despite a runny sauce, the dish was still flavorful and non-ruined, so I'll chalk that one up as a success.  In the battle of Newb vs. Food, this time, Newb won!

Newb: 1  Food: 1

♥ Ashley