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! 

Simple, Fresh, Delicious Bruschetta

Simple, fresh flavors that make you go mmmmmmm.   That’s what bruschetta does for me.  Just the thought of fresh chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced basil, finely minced garlic, chopped onions, a pinch of salt and a splash of balsamic vinegar gets my taste buds salivating.  Spoon this magical mixture over some sliced grilled italian bread, and you’ve given a whole new meaning to the phrase “happy meal”.

The bread….

We purchase this great garlic infused oraganic italian bread from Food Lion.  Yes, Food Lion!  If your grocery store has a bakery, then pick up a loaf of their fresh baked bread.  It’s hard to go wrong with grocery store bread anymore.

Or if you’re motivated enough to bake your own, visit Rufus’ Food and Spirits Guide and give his mom’s italian bread recipe a try – it looks amazing!

• Slice the bread, medium thick so it holds up when you grill it.
• Pour 1/4 – 1/3 cup of olive oil into a small dish, and add about 4 cloves of crushed garlic.  Mix it up with a pastry brush and brush it onto one side of each slice.
• Place the bread on a hot indoor or outdoor grill oil side down.  As that side grills, brush the olive oil and garlic mixture onto the side that’s upright.
• Don’t burn the bread, but leave it on long enough to create dark grill marks on one side then flip it over and do the same on the other side.
• Pile the bread slices onto a plate and set aside.

The bruschetta….

• 3-4 medium tomatoes, chopped (romas are great for bruschetta)
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roll the leaves tight and slice across for chiffonade
• 1/2 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1-2 pinches of salt

Gently stir the ingredients together, and spoon over the grilled bread.  Absolute heaven!

Variations

I don’t like to mess much with simplicity, but there’s always room for some improvisation.  Here are some variations:

Simple Additions:  Add some good quality chopped italian olives; roasted red and/or green peppers; fresh parsley; chopped artichoke hearts; small chunks of pepperoni or salami; some fresh mozzarella, parmesan, asiago or romano cheese.  Even anchovies!

Grilled Veggie Bruschetta: Fire roast your tomatoes and sliced onions on the grill or on the smoker for another layer of flavor.  Add roasted eggplant, squash, and roasted peppers.  You can even roast the garlic.

Cheesy Bread:  Add some shaved italian cheese to the bread when you grill it. Let it get nice and melted and bubbly brown. Then top it with the bruschetta.

Other serving ideas:  Try bruschetta on hamburgers or an italian sub.  Or take two slices of your bread and add mozzerella, sundried tomatoes and some basil in between, add some bruschetta, then grill it like a panini. Don’t forget to brush the bread with olive oil and garlic.  Or how about some prosciutto ham and italian cheese with bruschetta on a panini.

Use fresh vegetables and keep it simple and you’ll have an amazing quick meal for two, delicious appetizers for friends, or keep it in the fridge for a great condiment or a healthy dipper for veggies, pita chips, tortilla chips or crackers.  You can also spread cream cheese on crackers and top with a dollop of bruschetta.

Fresh, simple, and exploding with flavor.  You just can’t go wrong with bruschetta!

The best discoveries come from happy accidents…