By Mid-June. Cody drove down from Tulsa Saturday afternoon for the first Sunday dinner at the rental house since his arrest in March. He had cleared the trip with Marcus the probation officer at Friday’s check-in. He had brought a small plant in a terra cotta pot for Mama — a small succulent he had picked up at a Tulsa nursery on his way over — and a small wrapped package for me. The package turned out to be a heavy steel pepper mill, the kind I had been telling Mama for three years I wanted but had never been willing to spend the forty dollars on.
Sunday I made creamy tomato tortellini with sausage because Mama had asked specifically for a Sunday dinner with Cody’s favorite proteins (Italian sausage) and a dish-format that did not announce itself. The tortellini cooks directly in the sauce, which is a trick I had learned in 2019 and that scales well for a family-of-five Sunday dinner. Italian sausage browned, garlic and onion sweated, fire-roasted tomatoes, heavy cream, basil, frozen cheese tortellini cooked directly in the sauce. Twenty-five minutes start to plate.
The five of us sat at the kitchen table at six PM: Mama at the head, Cody to her right (his old seat), me across from Cody, Dustin to my right, and the empty fifth chair that had been Cody’s during the eight months I had been growing up after he went to county jail in 2018 and that I had only filled with Dustin starting last November. Mama looked at the table at six-oh-five and did not say anything for about ten seconds. Then she said: baby, the table is full.
Creamy Tomato Tortellini with Sausage
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or hot), casings removed
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 20 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade, for garnish
Instructions
- Brown the sausage. In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the Italian sausage, breaking it into crumbles with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
- Soften the aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the pan and cook until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Build the tomato sauce. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir in the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes (if using), and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Add the cream. Reduce heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. Simmer gently for 2–3 minutes — do not boil — until the sauce is silky and uniform in color.
- Cook the tortellini. Add the refrigerated cheese tortellini directly to the sauce. Stir to coat, cover the pan, and cook over low-medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the tortellini are tender and cooked through.
- Finish with Parmesan. Stir in the grated Parmesan until melted and incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with extra Parmesan and fresh basil. Serve immediately with crusty garlic bread and a simple salad.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 580 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 34g | Carbs: 42g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 890mg