Cheese-stuffed tortellini combined with fresh basil make for an exquisite dish. This recipe cleverly brings these flavors together in a versatile salad. It’s a vegetable-focused recipe perfect as a main dish or a complementary side at a summer gathering.
Ingredients:
– 1 ½ cups packed fresh basil leaves
– ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
– 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
– 1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
– Two 9-ounce packages of cheese tortellini
– 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice
– ¾ cup sliced shallots
– 4 ounces chopped watercress
– ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
1. Boil a small pot of water and prepare a bowl of ice water. Blanch 1 cup of basil leaves for 30 seconds, then transfer to ice water. Remove, squeeze excess water, and blend with ½ cup of oil and ½ teaspoon of salt until smooth. Strain and discard solids.
2. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook asparagus until crisp-tender. Remove and set aside. In the same water, cook tortellini per package instructions. Drain and cool before mixing in lemon zest and half of the basil oil.
3. While pasta cools, sauté shallots in 2 tablespoons of oil until golden and crisp.
4. Arrange watercress on a platter. Chop asparagus and add to the pasta mix. Season with pepper and remaining basil oil and salt.
5. Spoon the mix over watercress, drizzle with lemon juice, top with shallots and remaining basil leaves.
This basil oil is a summer staple, perfect on grilled dishes or bread.
