PESTO TORTELLINI PASTA SALAD RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a deep skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add flour, salt, and pepper to the butter and saute 2-3 minutes until the flour begins to brown.
• While whisking constantly, gradually add the milk. The mixture will whisk into a thick paste and eventually a sauce as the milk is added. Once the milk is fully incorporated, continue cooking until mixture comes to a simmer and thickens.
• Stir in 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1 cup of parmesan cheese, adding a handful at a time and stirring each addition until melted and smooth.
• Whisk in pesto sauce and adjust to your preferred taste.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of salted water, cook the tortellini for 2 minutes less time than the package instructions (mine cooked for 5 minutes). You want the tortellini al dente as it will continue cooking in the oven.
• In a large casserole dish (3 Qt.), layer half of the cooked and drained tortellini, Spoon half of the prepared pesto sauce over the tortellini. Sprinkle with 1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes and half of the remaining cheeses.
• Add a second layer of tortellini, sauce, tomatoes and cheese.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese on top of the dish is melted, bubbly, and beginning to brown.
• Garnish with fresh cracked pepper and fresh basil, if desired.
• We used whole milk for a creamy, rich sauce. 2% can be substituted. The overall amount of cheese can also be reduced for a lighter casserole.
• This baked tortellini is creamy, rich, cheesy, and delicious with lots of added flavor from the pesto. Use your favorite pesto sauce (we like Trader Joe’s and Costco brand) or my homemade version
• Fresh tortellini comes in a variety of flavors - we used a basic cheese stuffed tortellini, but a chicken, sun-dried tomato, or spinach tortellini would also be delicious in this recipe.
• For a sharper cheese flavor, you can use jack cheese instead of mozzarella or a combo of jack and mozzarella. The mozzarella adds a lot of creaminess and gooey cheese. Romano can be interchanged with the parmesan.