Last evening we were knocking around the kitchen, looking for an easy but tasty meal. There was some fresh Tortellini in the fridge so we did some experimenting. Tortellini is a ring shaped pasta, usually stuffed with a meat and cheese, or just a cheese mix. We prefer the fresh tortellini, but we have some frozen for emergencies. It occurred to us, because we were just knocking around, that we could experiment with Tortellini and Alfredo.

So get this:

Store bought Tortellini, fresh or frozen.

Home Made Alfredo Sauce.

Mushrooms (optional)

Fresh or frozen peas (optional)

We mixed up the Alfredo sauce. When it was about ready we added the mushrooms and peas – just long enough to heat them.

Along the way we cooked the tortellini, this is simple boiling. The package on the fresh tortellini recommends about 8-10 minutes of boil time, We boil the fresh stuff about 5-6 minutes – 8-10 minutes for the frozen.

Last evening we drained the water from the tortellini and returned the pasta to the pan. Then we added the Alfredo sauce. We stirred it together and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Then we ladled it into a bowl, and ate it with a spoon.

We added mushrooms and peas as an experiment, the next time we will try other vegetables, perhaps broccoli – we don’t know. We do know that we encourage people to experiment with these dishes. The variety adds value to the dish and to your life.

By the way, Tortellini has an interesting history. There are a variety of stories about the discovery of this morsel of pasta delight. Generally the story goes that a mischievous cook was spying where he should not have been. He looked through a keyhole to see the lady, but the limitations of the candle light and the keyhole only allowed him to see her naval. That is the story – we like to think he served his first batch of tortellini the next day, with a proud but sly smile on his face.