Tortellini in a Basil Sherry Cream Sauce

Here is a pasta dish I believe will really satisfy you. This is a variant of a dish I posted in March – Tortellini with Prosciutto and Asparagus. The difference is perfect for summer – a basil sherry cream sauce. Using fresh basil is a must for this dish and the hardest part of this dish is timing all the parts. So take a chance and expand your repertoire with something new… like this dish!

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Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

2 oz prosciutto, diced
4½ oz fresh tortellini
5 oz asparagus, sliced into 1½ inch lengths
½ cup basil leaves, fresh
1 tbsp garlic, sliced (approximately 2 medium cloves)
¼ oz porcini mushrooms, dried
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
¼ cup Romano cheese
¼ cup cream
¼ cup sherry

Instructions

Soak the porcini in ¾ cup of hot water for 30 minutes.
Drain the mushrooms and reserve the liquid.
Roughly chop the mushrooms and set aside.
Cook the tortellini per the package instructions, adding the mushroom water.
Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water.
In a medium skillet over Medium heat, add half the olive oil.
Swirl the oil and when shimmering, add the prosciutto.
Cook the prosciutto until it begins to crisp, approximately 3 minutes.
Add the asparagus and cook with the prosciutto until bright green, approximately 3 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and cook for a minute or two until fragrant.
Remove the asparagus mixture to a bowl.
In a blender, add the sliced garlic, basil leaves, cream, sherry and almost all the cheese - minus 2 teaspoons.
Pulse to combine into a smooth sauce.
In the skillet used for the asparagus mixture, add the remaining olive oil and heat over Medium heat.
Sprinkle the flour over the oil and whisk to combine, cooking until the raw flour taste and scent is gone, approximately 2 minutes.
Add the reserved pasta water and whisk to combine before adding the basil cream sherry mixture.
Reduce the heat and simmer lightly, adding the asparagus mixture and tortellini.
Toss to coat and plate, sprinkling the reserved cheese over top before serving.

Notes

Here is a quick run down on how I managed timing all the parts of this recipe...

Steep the mushrooms first and during that 30 minute waiting period, measure and prepare the asparagus, prosciutto, garlic, and basil. Grate the cheese and set aside. Start the pasta water, saving some room for the mushroom 'tea'. When the mushrooms are close to being ready to chop, heat the skillet. Drain the mushrooms and roughly chop and set aside. Add the 'tea' to the pasta water. Add the oil to the skillet and when hot, add the prosciutto. As the prosciutto cooks, add the pasta to the now boiling water and set the timer. Add the asparagus, then the mushrooms and while that is cooking and just before the pasta is ready, prepare the basil sherry cream mixture in the blender. Remove the prosciutto, asparagus, and mushrooms to a clean bowl and heat the remaining olive oil. Reserve the portion of the pasta water needed and drain the pasta when done. Add the flour to the oil and cook the roux, then add the pasta water and basil sherry cream mixture. Reduce the heat and when simmering, add the asparagus mixture and pasta, tossing to coat. Plate and sprinkle remaining cheese on top as a garnish.

Soak the porcini in 3/4 cup of hot water for 30 minutes.

Drain the mushrooms and reserve the liquid. Roughly chop the mushrooms and set aside.

Cook the tortellini per the package instructions, adding the mushroom water. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. In a medium skillet over Medium heat, add half the olive oil. Swirl the oil and when shimmering, add the prosciutto.

Cook the prosciutto until it begins to crisp, approximately 3 minutes.

Add the asparagus and cook with the prosciutto until bright green, approximately 3 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and cook for a minute or two until fragrant.

Remove the asparagus mixture to a bowl. In a blender, add the sliced garlic, basil leaves, cream, sherry and almost all the cheese – minus 2 teaspoons. Pulse to combine into a smooth sauce.

In the skillet used for the asparagus mixture, add the remaining olive oil and heat over Medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the oil and whisk to combine, cooking until the raw flour taste and scent is gone, approximately 2 minutes.

Add the reserved pasta water and whisk to combine before adding the basil cream sherry mixture.

Reduce the heat and simmer lightly, adding the asparagus mixture and tortellini. Toss to coat and plate, sprinkling the reserved cheese over top before serving.