Tortellini and Tomato Skewers

February 13: National Tortellini Day

One of the couples whose wedding we were sponsoring at our church brought over a new dish to share during their marriage preparation meeting with us at our home. Christina and Alex P. introduced us to tortellini, a ring-shaped pasta filled with Italian sausage (others are stuffed with cheese or chicken and some are made of spinach or wheat). They revealed that they just bought a package of refrigerated tortellini at the store and simply cooked it. When skewered with tiny tomatoes, they make a quick and hearty appetizer with an impressive presentation. Now tortellini and tomato skewers are on our own menu repertoire when entertaining guests.  Make them for get-togethers and especially for National Tortellini Day.

Recipe

(Inspired by Christina and Alex P.)

• 1 package of tortellini, cooked (we used Buitoni brand)
• grape or cherry tomatoes, whole and washed

Directions

Cook the tortellini as directed on the package by boiling them in water with a little olive oil. Drain and rinse. Skewer the tortellini between tomatoes. Serve stacked on a platter or standing in a tall glass.

Notes

• Skewer spinach tortellini with regular or wheat tortellini for a color variation.
• Place mini mozzarella cheese balls, olives, button mushrooms or basil leaves between the tortellini as other options.
• Serve with pesto or other dipping sauces if desired.