*From thecozycook.com
Ingredients:
Seasonings
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoons pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
Sauce/Tortellini
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 splash olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, whole
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups half and half, half cream/half milk
- ½ cup asiago cheese, finely shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
- Salt/Pepper, to taste
- 20 oz. tortellini, see notes
- Fresh Parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Combine the seasonings and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before starting and begin boiling salted pasta water for the tortellini.
- Crush the garlic: Lay a knife over each garlic clove and use the palm of your hand to push down the knife over the garlic to crush it. Transfer it to a deep, 12-inch skillet along with the butter.
- Melt the butter over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Lift the pan and swirl it around frequently as it cooks for even coloring. When it starts to turn a brown, add a splash of olive oil. The light golden color of the butter will give it a subtle sweet, nutty flavor and the splash of olive oil will prevent the butter from burning.
- Add the flour and use a silicone spatula to gently stir it around continuously for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add the chicken broth in splashes, stirring continuously. Add the heavy cream in the same manner, followed by the seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let it simmer, uncovered, while you cook the tortellini according to package instructions. Drain once cooked.
- Reduce the heat of the sauce to low. Slowly sprinkle in the Asiago and Parmesan cheese, stirring continuously.
- Taste the sauce and season with salt/pepper as needed, start with 1/4 tsp. of each.
- Add the drained tortellini and toss to combine. It will continue to thicken upon standing.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
Pro Tips:
Storage
- Browning the butter is optional, the flavor is very subtle but it does add a touch of gourmet. There is a fine line between browned butter and burnt butter. A splash of olive oil is added to mitigate burning it, but feel free to simply melt some butter and let it start to foam without browning it.
- Shred the cheese from a block, it will melt and tastes much better than packaged shredded cheese. Belgioioso is my brand of choice for the Parmesan and Asiago.
- All Parmesan cheese can be used or a combination of Parmesan and Romano if you don't have Asiago.
- I use Rana 5-cheese tortellini for this recipe but a variety of options work well!
- Heavy cream may be used instead of half and half, the sauce will be thicker. A splash of milk can be used to thin it out slightly if desired.
- Sautéed mushrooms can be prepared in a separated skillet and mixed into the sauce at the end.
- 20 oz. ravioli can be used with this recipe as well.
Storage
- The flour in this sauce helps it to maintain it’s consistency when cooled and reheated.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat it back to it's original consistency, thaw it overnight and use a makeshift double boiler to reheat it on the stove top. I've found that to be the best way to reheat cream sauces.
- If you expect leftovers, I recommend that you store the sauce separately and boil fresh pasta for serving if possible.
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