Cheese Tortellini with Sausage Ragu

By CarlaKay

A quick and tasty weeknight pasta dish.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound ground mild italian sausage
• 2 cups marinara sauce Mine, I mean Giada's (I make in batches), your favorite recipe, or jarred
• 1/2 cup red wine, (Riojo is one I use often for cooking)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound cheese tortellini, or choose your own pasta
• 2 inch sprig chopped fresh oregano
• 4 fresh basil leaves, sliced into thin ribbons, i.e., chiffonade
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preparation

Step 1

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium high and brown sausage, using a wooden spoon to crumble the sausage as it browns. To the cooked sausage, add the wine and oregano, cook until wine reduces to 1/4 cup. Add marinara sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Let sauce begin to come to a boil and turn down to a slow simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes add cream, basil and parmesan cheese, and stir to incorporate.
While sauce is nearing the last 10 minutes, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook 7 - 9 minutes until tender, stirring occaisionally. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Serve with extra grated parmesan if desired.