An Easy and Authentic Italian Dinner

I love to eat great Italian food. I experiment often to recreate the authentic taste of great Italian eateries. One of my favorite Italian dinners is tortellini with marinara sauce. The best part about this recipe is that it is fast and easy and has that authentic taste that I love. The entire meal is quite inexpensive as well, costing about $13 not counting the wine. This meal will take about 20 minutes to make from start to finish.

First the shopping list. You will need to pick up a 20 ounce bag of frozen tortellini in the frozen foods section. Get a good brand of marinara, one of my favorites is Bertolli with olive oil and garlic. Pick up a loaf of herb focaccia bread in the bakery and stop by the fresh veggies department for a bag of classic salad mix, a bag of fresh spinach leaves and 3 or 4 baby portabella mushrooms. I recommend either creamy Italian dressing or Italian Caesar dressing for your salad.

Start a large pot of water boiling and cook the tortellini as directed on the package. Wash and slice your mushrooms into thin slices then saute for 2 - 3 minutes in a warm skillet with olive oil and a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinaigrette. Toss together the classic salad mix with about half the bag of fresh spinach and desired amount of dressing. Top the salad with a few croutons and a few shakes of Parmesan cheese.

Once the tortellini has finished cooking, drain the water off the pasta and return to the pot. Be careful not to overcook the tortellini, it should have a firm texture. Pour the marinara sauce over the tortellini and heat for a few minutes on low heat just to warm the sauce. Prepare a plate with a couple spoonfuls of tortellini and top with a few slices of the mushrooms. Place a helping of salad next to the tortellini and top with a few more slices of the sauteed mushrooms. Sprinkle a bit of Parmesan cheese on top of the tortellini, get a slice of the focaccia bread and enjoy with a nice glass of red wine.

You may want to experiment with this recipe yourself. Substitute any fine marinara that you like or try an Alfredo sauce. This meal will make 5 servings. Everyone loves it and it should fit into most health conscious diets.