Cheese Tortellini With Walnut Pesto

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, thick stems removed and lightly packed
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 lb cheese tortellini, frozen
• 1 tablespoon butter

Recipe

• 1 in a food processor or blender, pulse the walnuts, parsley, garlic, parmesan, oil, salt, and pepper to a coarse puree.
• 2 cook the tortellini, in a large pot of salted water*, until just done. the cooking time will depend on the brand you use (mine takes 8 minutes and you could use the fresh you find refrigerated in the grocery. i don't reccomend the dried tortellini) reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. (don't forget this! it is easy to do).
• 3 drain the tortellini. toss with 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta water, the walnut pesto, and the butter. mix until the butter melts.
• 4 if the pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water. sprinkle with additional parmesan and pass more at the table.
• 5 *the water should be as salty as a broth.