Confetti On A Plate Italian Garden Tortellini
In the blue-collar towns where i grew up the italians were known for their colorful, productive gardens where they raised large amounts of food on tiny, urban plots. This colorful pasta dish, loaded with just-picked summer vegetables, is a tribute to that memory. But if fresh vegetables and herbs are not available you can use frozen veggies or dried herbs (1/3 as much). The recipe can easily be halved or doubled and it holds well for potlucks and picnics. Feel free to adjust the amounts and types of vegetables to use the fresh, seasonal items you have on hand. The goal is a colorful variety of flavors.
Steps
Preheat oven to 350f.
Brown ground beef and drain excess grease.
Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large , heavy-bottomed , ovenproof pan.
Saute green and wax beans , zucchini and yellow squash , onions , herbs , and eggplant / peppers , on medium-high heat until about half cooked.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add tomatoes and heat until tomatoes get sort of wilted and juicy , stirring occasionally.
Add browned , ground beef and bring to a gentle simmer.
If the amount of juice seems inadequate , add about 1 / 2 cup v8 , tomato juice , or beef stock.
But dont make it too wet or the tortellini will get mushy and unappealing.
Remove from heat.
Toss with hot tortellini.
Stir in the parmesan and half the mozzarella.
Top with remaining mozzarella.
Bake at 350f for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese bubbles and starts to brown.
This is a meal in one casserole but , as with many pasta dishes , a salad of italian greens and a loaf of crusty bread would add the final polish.
Suitable for.
Ingredients
ground beef, wax bean, green beans, zucchini, yellow squash, green onions, green peppers, eggplant, fresh rosemary, fresh basil, fresh thyme, fresh oregano, garlic cloves, fresh tomatoes, cheese tortellini, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, olive oil