Savory Cheese Tortellini in Luscious Italian Sausage & Mushroom Spinach Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 sausages of Italian origin, casings removed and crumbled
• A generous tablespoon of olive oil
• Finely chopped medium-sized onion
• Minced garlic cloves, approximately four
• Freshly diced tomatoes, about three in quantity
• Chopped fresh spinach, roughly a cup's worth
• Cremini mushrooms, chopped into small pieces
• Dried basil, one and a half teaspoons
• Salt, half a teaspoon
• Ground black pepper, a quarter teaspoon
• Heavy cream, three-fourth cup
• Milk, also three-fourth cup
• Finely shredded blend of Italian cheeses, half a cup
• All-purpose flour, two tablespoons
• Two packages of tri-colored cheese-filled tortellini, each weighing nine ounces

Step 1

Begin by heating a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it's nice and hot. Take the time to cook and stir the sausage in the skillet until it turns a lovely shade of brown, which should take around 10 minutes.

Step 2

In a large pot, heat up some olive oil over medium-high heat. Toss in the onion and garlic, and let them sauté until the onion becomes translucent, which typically takes about 5 minutes. After that, lower the heat and introduce a delightful mix of tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, basil, salt, and pepper. Let everything come to a gentle simmer, giving it a stir here and there.

Step 3

In a separate bowl, mix together cream, milk, cheese, and flour until it forms a harmonious blend. Pour this mixture into the pot with the tomatoes and allow it to simmer once more. Keep an eye on it, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to perfection, usually around 15 minutes.

Step 4

While the sauce is merrily reducing, get another pot on the stove and bring a generous amount of water to a rolling boil. Drop in the tortellini and let them cook gently until they reach a tender state, typically around 6 minutes. Once they're done, drain the tortellini and combine them with the luscious tomato sauce before serving up a delicious meal.