Tortellini with Peas and Parmesan

This was inspired by a Martha Stewart recipe. However, her recipe uses a butter base, and I found it cloyingly buttery.

Here, I lighten it up by substituting good olive oil for the butter. I also tweaked the ingredient proportions per my own personal tastes. The results, in my opinion, are far tastier than the original - and much healthier. (Sorry, Martha!)

RECIPE:

1 pound frozen cheese tortellini
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving as desired

Boil the tortellini in salted water according to the package directions, adding the peas for the last minute of cooking. Drain.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium to medium-low heat. Add the garlic, and saute for a minute or two, just until the aroma starts to emerge. Do not let the garlic burn. Remove the garlic from the pan and discard it.

Add the tortellini and peas to the same skillet, along with salt and pepper to taste. (Go easy on the salt, as the Parmesan we’ll be adding is salty.) Saute over medium heat for a minute or two to combine all the flavors.

Stir in the 2 tablespoons of Parmesan.

Serve with additional Parmesan for topping as desired.

-- 4 servings