Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Fried Tortellini with Marinara Cream Sauce

Fried Tortellini
I haven't tried this recipe yet; however, on the next day J and I have the day off together you bet Ill be making these scrumptious looking things. I love watching Paula's Party (Paula Dean's show) and one night she made these lovely fried tortellinis. They look really easy and simple to make. Yields 4-6 servings. Cook Time: 10mins

Ingredients:
For the Tortellini you'll need:
1 Cup Ricotta Cheese
1/4 cup fresh goat cheese, softened
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 (16oz) package of fresh pasta sheets

For the Breading:
Peanut oil, for deep frying
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and pepper


For the Marinara Cream Sauce:
1 jar prepared marinara sauce
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions for the tortellini: Mix together ricotta cheese, goat cheese, grated Parmesan, 1 egg, black pepper and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg in a bowl.
Lay out the pasta sheets on a lightly floured surface. With a pizza cutter or sharp knife cut the sheets up to make 2 by 2-inch squares of dough. Place about 2 teaspoons of the cheese filling in the center of each square. Beat the remaining egg and lightly brush around circumference of the dough. Fold each square in half diagonally to make a triangle around the filling. Press out any air from the center so that the dough is fit smoothly around the filling. Wrap the triangle around your index finger and press the tips together. The third point of the triangle should fold forward to make the proper tortellini shape. Place the finished tortellini on a lightly floured baking sheet.
Cook the fresh tortellini in a large pot of simmering water for about 3 minutes or until they float. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Directions for the breading:
Preheat oil to 375 degrees F.
Place the flour in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Put the beaten eggs into another. In a third bowl, toss together bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley.
In small batches, bread the tortellini in the flour, then the egg, and then the bread crumb mixture, shaking off any excess.
Fry the tortellini in batches in the oil until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined sheet tray to drain and season with salt and pepper while still hot.


Directions for the marinara cream sauce:
In a large saucepan, combine sauce, cream and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

(Picture from
foodnetwork.com)

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