Italian Baked Tomato, Corn and Cheese Tortellini

Another garden fresh recipe that we only seem to make when the cherry tomatoes begin to ripen.  Our Italian Baked Tomato and Corn Cheese Tortellini is fresh, simple, delicious and satisfying.  It’s perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner; meatless mondays; vegetarian visitors (assuming they eat cheese); or just a nice easy meal for two paired with a high end beverage (we like beer) and a fresh side salad.  As with most pasta dishes, the leftovers are just as good the next day, and of course fresh tomatoes, basil and garlic make all the difference.

Italian Baked Tomato, Corn and Cheese Tortellini

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 4-6 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups cheese tortellini, cooked and drained
• 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved longways
• 2/3 cup canned corn (we like Del Monte’s Summer Crisp)
• 3/4 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine the basil, garlic, olive oil and salt.
• Add the tortellini, tomatoes, corn and half of the cheese.  Gently toss everything together.
• Pour the mixture into a 9×13 casserole dish.
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over top.
• Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is browned.

Serves 4-6.

Variations

More veggies please. You can go crazy with the veggies in this dish. Sauteed mushrooms, roasted zucchini, eggplant, red pepper, asparagus, artichoke hearts, black olives, sun dried tomatoes, peas, and the list goes on and on. You can even add tomato sauce, top with cheese and bake it like a lasagna.

Cheesing it up. Swapping cheeses is a great way to add some really interesting flavors to this dish. Try salty feta, earthy goat cheese, smoked mozzerella, parmesan, gruyere, asiago, monterey jack, colby, or swiss.

Meatless no more. Add some heartiness with chopped or cubed ham, shredded chicken, ground italian sausage or lamb, kielbasa, or chorizo. Or lighten it up with fresh shrimp, clams, calamari, bay scallops, or even anchovies.

Feeling herbaceous? Add chopped chives, fresh flat leaf parsley, oregano, tarragon, or some different types of basil. Or how about mint leaves with ground lamb and sauteed eggplant?

Don’t like tortellini?  Try penne, rigatoni, rotini, fusili, gnocchi, or other types of pasta or dumplings.

Just keep a bag of frozen tortellini around, and throw this recipe or a variation of this recipe together with whatever you have in the fridge or cupboards.  It’s a great simple tasty dinner in a snap.

The best surprises come from happy accidents!