After a road trip home to Lewis County, Missouri I decided I needed to hurry up and run this recipe. Many have commented this is one of my best recipes; which I greatly appreciate. It is a very nice soup, and it has won over the palates of every individual who has eaten it. For those who make lots of soups in the winter, this will definitely find a way into your ‘soup’ collections.
Let’s chat about a few key items first. This is a very large recipe, as I don’t know how to write small dishes!!! Making half a batch will be plenty for two persons, providing at least 2 days of meals. Freezing, well, that’s a subject I shy away from just a bit. If you want to freeze the dish I would do it after you have added the stock & tomatoes, but before the tortellini. This way the foundation is made and you just thaw, and add about 3 things.
Frequently, at work, I would cut the recipe in half. I cut every ingredient in half except for the tomatoes. I do not like using half a can of something, refrigerating 4-5 ounces, then finally throwing out the remaining amount 7 days later.
When I demonstrated the recipe at Silver Dollar City regular pork sausage was used instead of Italian sausage; and the soup was great. One thing I like to note is the fact that we’re not implementing any cheese, in the dish. If you really wanted it as a garnish, sure, but not a needed ingredient.
Because the thickening is kept to a small amount you will be pleased with the consistency on days two and three. It truly thickens, but it will not be congealing in the least bit.
If the sausage is an issue I can see chicken, perhaps pre-grilled, implemented instead of the pork. Also, you might think about using a kielbasa sausage if you’re in a real pinch.
While I was back in Lewis County, my good friend, LaRee, was telling me how everyone was making tortellini soups. So it encouraged me to move forward and share this recipe, before some of my other new dishes, from the fall series.
My family will feast on it this season for Thanksgiving Eve. (Our family tradition is to have soup the night before Thanksgiving.) I’ll be sure to make plenty because this is one soup Ervin, my husband, just loves.
I’m canning this week and starting on a bit of holiday transitioning. Then there’s the garage…..Always plenty to do on the home front! Simply yours, The Covered Dish. www.thecovereddish.com
Creamy Tortellini Soup
1 pound Petit Jean Pork Sausage or Italian Sausage
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced carrot
1 cup finely diced sweet onion
4-6 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3 teaspoons dry Italian seasoning
10 cups chicken stock*
1 (19 oz.) package 3-cheese Tortellini
1 can (14-16ozs.) petite tomatoes
7 tablespoons flour
3 cups heavy cream
4-5 ounces small pieces of spinach leaves, stems removed
In a large skillet begin cooking the sausage, about midway push meat to the side of the skillet and bring in the celery, carrot and sweet onion. Continue cooking until vegetables are tender and meat is cooked and well crumbled. You are desiring to sweeten the vegetables not caramelized. Add fresh garlic and then remove from the heat. Sprinkle the salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning over the meat mixture.
In a large stockpot or the same pot as the meat & vegetables; heat the chicken stock to a boil. Lower heat and add tortellini. When the tortellini raises to the top the cooking process is done. If the two mixtures are not combined, do so at this time. Stir in the can of petite tomatoes.
In a separate measuring cup whisk together one cup of heavy cream with the flour, blending until smooth. Place all the cream together in a small saucepan and warm before adding to the soup to lightly thicken. (This will lessen the chances of curdling.) Lastly add the spinach. If you prefer less spinach you can certainly employ a smaller amount.
This recipe will easily serve 10-12 persons.
*Commercial stock was used in the original recipe. This means salt was in the stock.
