This week on Anthony’s Kitchen is my recipe for Tortellini Salad with Bacon. It’s a very tasty meal, or in smaller portions a great lunch. 

Tortellini is ring-shaped pasta made from durum wheat and eggs, and stuffed with meat, cheese or vegetables. You can make it yourself from scratch, but it’s just as good bought fresh from a store. 

Enjoy! 

Check out the recipe below: 

Ingredients

Salad:

• 2 lb Tortellini
• 3/4 Lb Applewood smoked bacon
• 1 Red onion, small dice
• 2 L Orange bell peppers, small dice
• 10 sundried tomatos in olive oil, julliened
• 1/2 Cup Roasted or frozen corn
• 4 oz Arugala
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Dressing:

• 1/2 Cup Mayonaise
• 1/2 Cup Sour cream. 
• 3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 Cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp Sugar 
• 1/4 Cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Plus more for garnish. 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

For Salad: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add tortellini and cook for approximately 5 minutes or until all the tortellini float to the top. Strain and set aside. 

Cook bacon in large pan, reserve 2 Tbsp of fat. Drain bacon on paper towels cool, crumble and reserve. Sauté onions and peppers in bacon fat till translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sun dried tomatoes and cook through, about a minute. Add corn and cook another minute. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add tortellini, toss. Chill in fridge for about 1/2 hour.  

For Dressing: Add mayonnaise and sour cream, vinegar, garlic, sugar and cheese to a medium size bowl and whisk until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss tortellini mixture in dressing, adjust seasoning and keep in fridge until ready to serve. Before serving toss with arugula and garnish with grated Parmesan and reserved bacon.