Tortellini with Basilikum Pesto, topped by fresh Spinach and cocktail tomatoes

Tortellini with Basil Pesto topped by fresh Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes

Tortellini with Basil Pesto, Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients for 4 Persons:

• 500 gr fresh Tortellini
• 400 gr fresh or frozen Spinach in whole leaves
• 200 gr cocktail tomatoes
• 50- 80 gr Pine nuts or nuts mixture
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, a little dried or fresh Chili if You like it spicy

For the Pesto

• 2 plants of Basil, mostly the leaves
• 50 gr pine nuts
• Some olive oil
• 80 gr Parmesan cheese in pieces
• Salt and pepper 
• some acid

Preparation

Start with the Pesto and therefore cut off all the leaves of the 2 Basil plants, rinse them and put them into the mixer.
Add the pine nuts after roasting them, add the Parmesan cheese, some salt and pepper,  add some olive oil and some acid. (not much, just enough that the wet leaves come down to the bottom of the grinding machine).
Start the vortex at a low position, while pushing the leaves gently to the bottom.
After 20 seconds the pesto is almost ready. Add some additional seasoning to your taste.

Be careful that the pesto does not become too fluid, it must have the consistence of honey..

For the Pasta cook the tortellini for the time indicated in broth (better) or salted water.
Cut the small tomatoes in halves.
Roast the pine nuts in a bigger pan without or with very few oil. Add the tomatoes subsequently. Add some salt and pepper.
Meanwhile put the spinach (fresh one should be preferred) in a big pot with some (little) oil. Within a short time the leaves will "fall together". Add some salt as well.
Add the spinach to the pan with the pine nuts/ tomatoes and mix gently.
Get the hot tortellini out of the broth and mix it in another pot (e.g. where the spinach was heated)   by hand with the pesto for a very short time.
Distribute the pasta on 4 plates. Then arrange the spinach/tomato mixture on top of the pasta. Don't forget to decorate with fresh flakes of Parmesan.

Good appetite!

Time for whole procedure 30 - 40 minutes.