2335. CHEESE TORTELLINI with BACON, SPINACH and TOMATO VODKA SAUCE

serves 4-6


approx. 1 pound cheese tortellini (16-20 ounces)
6 slices bacon, diced and cooked until crisp
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup vodka
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 6-ounce bag baby spinach
1/4 cup water
grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Start by crisping up 6 diced slices of bacon in a large, heavy bottomed soup pot and getting another large pot of water going for eventually cooking the tortellini.

Once the bacon is nice and crisp, pour off at least half of the rendered bacon fat and then add 1 medium diced onion and 1 large minced clove of garlic and cook those to soften up.

Once the onions have softened up, add a pinch of red pepper flakes, 1 cup heavy cream and 1/3 cup vodka and let that reduce down a bit.

After the cream has been reducing along for a couple of minutes, add about 1 pound of cheese tortellini to a large pot of boiling water.

Next, add 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes to the cream and 1 6-ounce bag of baby spinach and continue to cook that along.

Rinse the tomato can with 1/4 cup water and add that liquid to the pan with the tomato, spinach cream and, once the spinach has wilted…and the sauce is nice and hot....and after the cheese tortellini have been boiling along and floating on the surface for 4 minutes or so.....use a slotted utensil to scoop those right into the pot with the tomato vodka sauce.

Serve it up in individual bowls with a little grated parmesan cheese over the top.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Dan Eaton, Finger Lakes YNN, Your News Now, 71 Mt. Hope Avenue, Rochester, New York 14620, February 26, 2011