Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Looks fancy pants, tastes fancy pants, but you don't have to be fancy pants

Holy schmoly, rock and rolly.  Do I have a recipe for you!!!  When I was browsing through recipes on my epicurious app, I ran across this little gem and knew immediately that it would be scrum-diddly-umptious.  Sausage...fennel....MUSHROOMS, oh my!  I took a little creative license when proportioning out the ingredients (extra mushrooms, extra cream, extra cheese), and I halved the recipe since it was just Bo and I.  You must try this.  Seriously easy, and seriously yummy.


Tortellini with Italian Sausage, Fennel, and Mushroom
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, halved through core, thinly sliced lengthwise (about 3 cups), fronds chopped
1 pound spicy Italian sausages, casings removed, sausage coarsely crumbled
1 8-ounce package sliced fresh crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
4 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 tablespoon fennel seeds, coarsely crushed (put in baggie and hit with something hard)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1 16-ounce package dried tortellini with pesto filling or fresh tortellini with 3-cheese filling
1 5-ounce package fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese plus additional (for serving)

Preparation:
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced fennel bulb, sausage, and mushrooms; sauté until sausage is brown and cooked through and fennel is almost tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Add garlic and fennel seeds; stir 1 minute. Stir in cream, then 1 cup broth; boil until liquid is reduced and very slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook tortellini in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain tortellini; return to same pot. (DO NOT overcook the tortellini!!)
Add sausage mixture to tortellini in pot. Toss over medium heat until blended. Add spinach; toss gently until spinach wilts. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese; add more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to moisten if dry. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with chopped fennel fronds, and serve, passing additional cheese.