Tortellini En Brodo Meets Escarole and Beans
Tortellini en brodo is a light and comforting dish from northern Italy. Escarole and beans is a humble Italian staple, that is flavorful and hearty. Mix them together and you have something really incredible! Escarole is an Italian leafy green vegetable. If you cannot find escarole, Swiss chard, Kale or even spinach will do. The key to both of these dishes is making sure they are well seasoned and of course, topping with lots of pecorino…are we seeing a trend in the dishes I like to make? Don’t be afraid to play with the ingredients in a dish like this, adding in more or substituting is totally fine. You can even turn up the heat with a little crushed red pepper flakes. I love serving this with toasted ciabatta, brushed with a bit of olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt, for dipping into the delicious broth.
Ingredients:
1 head of escarole, Swiss chard or spinach, cleaned and cut apart
2 cans of cannelini beans
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano
1 lb fresh cheese tortellini
juice of 1/2 a lemon
Olive oil
1-2 pinches of dried thyme (or rosemary/oregano etc)
salt and pepper to taste
In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Add in the chopped onions and sauté until softened (5-7 minutes) Season with salt and pepper.
Now add in the garlic and herbs, and sauté for a moment.
Add the greens and sauté until just wilted.
Next add the beans and sauté for a minute or two.
Add the stock and bring to a low boil. Add more salt and pepper being mindful of the saltiness of the stock and cheese.
Allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In the meantime, lightly boil the tortellini in a separate pot. Don’t overcook them, so just about 4-5 minutes.
Turn off the heat, and stir in lemon juice and 1 cup of pecorino.
Add the drained tortellini to the greens mixture and stir to incorporate.
Spoon into shallow bowls and top with a generous sprinkling of pecorino.
Serve hot, with some toasted bread. Enjoy!
