We found heaven on the isle of Capri under the lemon groves at Eduardo’s Restaurant. There, freshly made, cheese-filled raviolis swathed in fruity olive oil and fresh herbs fulfilled all our dreams. Slices of perfectly ripe, juicy tomatoes accompanied the dish.
I’ve been chasing that meal every summer since. Countless plates of ravioli and its ilk later, I now turn to refrigerated, cheese-filled tortellini for a terrific version of my dream meatless summer main dish. This riff on the classic filled pasta, combined with tomatoes, fresh cheese, and herbs, tastes great when served warm or at room temperature.
In our house (and I suspect others), there’s never enough cheese. In addition to the cheese filling in the tortellini, I add slices or chunks of milk-forward fresh cheese, such as fresh mozzarella or queso fresco, to the warm pasta. A generous shower of good Parmesan adds its unique tang and butteriness.
To cut the richness, add plenty of ripe garden tomatoes, such as halved cherry tomatoes or diced heirloom tomatoes, to the warm pasta. Fresh basil, or a combination of basil, mint, thyme, rosemary, and chives, shower the finished dish with freshness.
Make the effort to blend your own dressing—it’ll taste fresher and be free of sugars and preservatives. Freshly grated lemon rind and Dijon mustard add flavor to fruity olive oil and slightly sweet white balsamic vinegar.
Refrigerated tortellini cooks faster than dried; be sure to taste it so that you don’t cook it further than al dente—meaning the pasta is still a bit firm to the bite. Drain it and briefly rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Add the homemade vinaigrette when the pasta is still warm; it will absorb the flavors beautifully.
Other pastas that work in this recipe include cheese-filled ravioli. For less cheese, swap in long ribbons of mafalde pasta or fettuccine or pasta shapes such as curlicue fusilli and twisted casarecce. Refrigerated or shelf-stable prepared gnocchi are other options.
Cheese Tortellini With Two Cheeses, Tomatoes, and Lemon Vinaigrette
Note: Be sure to have all the ingredients prepared before cooking the tortellini.- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground black pepper
- 1 log (16 ounces) fresh mozzarella or queso fresco
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh chives or green onion tops
- 3 or 4 cups halved multi-colored cherry tomatoes or diced heirloom tomatoes
- 24 ounces refrigerated five cheese tortellini
- 1/4 cup shredded or shaved parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil sprigs
Slice mozzarella into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Slice the rounds into quarters. (If using queso fresco, break it into bite-sized pieces.) Use a very sharp knife to thinly slice basil leaves into 1/4-inch strips. Slice chives into small pieces to yield about 1/4 cup. Have the tomatoes ready.
Heat a large kettle of salted water to boil. Add tortellini and cook until al dente, about 2 minutes. (Taste for doneness.) Drain well and rinse briefly under cool water. Shake off water and place in a large bowl. Add half of the oil mixture and toss to mix.
Add tomatoes and 1/2 of the herbs to tortellini. Gently stir in mozzarella cheese. Add remaining oil mixture as desired. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and remaining herbs. Toss gently. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with basil sprigs.
