Tortellini Emilia with Prosciutto and Sage

Tortellini Emilia with Prosciutto and Sage is cheesy and comforting. In the summertime, you can cook it on the grill (over moderate heat) by elevating the casserole dish on brick, on top of the grates.  Placing the lid back on the grill turns it into an outdoor oven, with no need to heat up the kitchen.

Why limit your love of comfort food to the fall and winter months? By using your outdoor grill, you can easily enjoy all the comforts of this cheesy tortellini pasta dish, even on the hottest of summer days, all without ever turning on your kitchen oven. What's not to love?

I found this recipe in a magazine called "Italian Comfort Food" a while back and added it to my folder of "recipes-I-hope-to-make-one-day."

If truth be told, I actually made this dish about three months ago but am just now getting around to sharing it. That said, I didn't want you to feel like this is only a dish you can make in the cooler months. The tip I shared above about using the grill will have you enjoying this dish year-round. I do hope you'll try it. Make it outside now, and make it inside when the weather cools. Win. Win.

Make this on a Sunday when you have a little extra time, because it does require about 30 minutes of prep-time before baking.

It also serves quite a few people, but I can tell you from experience that it freezes wonderfully well. It also makes excellent leftovers for those nights when you only have minutes to spare but don't want to call in for take-out or stop at a drive-thru window.

2  8-ounce packages, frozen tortellini (meat or cheese)
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups half-and-half
½ cup milk
2 egg yolks (reserve the white for another use, or discard)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons freshly chopped sage (or 2 teaspoons dried sage)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup shredded Swiss cheese
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
½ cup chopped walnut pieces (optional)
olive oil cooking spray

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees (or grill to medium/high). On stovetop, cook the tortellini according to package directions (minus 2 minutes), drain, cover, keep warm, and set aside.

-In a medium saucepan cook the onion and shallots in the butter over medium heat (approximately 2-3 minutes). Stir in the half-and-half and milk. Bring to a low boil. Remove from heat.

-In a medium bowl lightly beat the egg yolks. Slowly add approximately 1 cup of the warm milk mixture to the egg yolks, whisking continually (this is to temper the eggs so they don't scramble).

-Return all of the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the hot milk mixutre. Cook and stir over medium heat until the sauce thickens slightly. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, half of the proscuitto, and most of the sage (reserve a little for topping).

-Stir the sauce into the cooked tortellini and pour the mixture into a casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Top with the remaining prosciutto, Swiss cheese, sage and chopped walnuts if desired.

-Bake in a preheated oven (or a grill, on a brick), covered, with aluminum foil for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Hungry for more fabulous pasta dishes? They may not all grill compatible pasta dishes, but they're all delicious, and they're certainly ones that you need to add to your recipe files. Check them out...

Chicken Penne Pasta with Bacon and Blue Cheese:

Tomato and Bacon Pasta with Mascarpone:

Orecchiette and Meat Sauce:

Pappardelle with Leeks and Bacon: