Winter Comfort Food! Baked Tortellini With Bacon
Even a favorite macaroni and cheese can seem blasé after you dig into it for the umpteenth time. Good thing it’s a super-easy dish to remix! We like the looks of Sarah Carey’s baked tortellini with bacon, which reinvents the classic without straying too far from the formula.
If you buy ready-made tortellini (we suggest hitting up your local pasta shop), the rest is a cinch: Sauté your onions and garlic, add a bit of flour and a couple cups of milk, bring it to a boil, and then cook the tortellini in the sauce. A smattering of bacon and a few minutes under the broiler later, you’ve got dinner. How do you know when it’s done? As Carey says, wait till it’s “bubbly and delicious.”
Here, she walks you through what she (accurately!) calls a “great, cozy weeknight meal.” Follow along using the recipe below.
Photo: Marthastewart.com
Baked Tortellini with Bacon
Serves 6
4 slices bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small white onion, diced medium
1 garlic clove, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 packages (8.8 ounces each) cheese tortellini
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce)
Heat broiler, with rack in top position. In a medium saucepan, cook bacon over medium until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel to drain. Add onion and garlic to pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 8 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
Slowly add milk, whisking constantly. Add tortellini and bring to a boil over medium-high, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer; cook, stirring often, until liquid has thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in bacon and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Transfer to a 2-quart broilerproof baking dish and top with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Broil until top is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
More pasta recipes:
A meaty macaroni pie with salami and Pecorino Romano
Hearty pappardelle Bolognese and kale
What’s your favorite comfort food recipe? Tell us below!
