This is sort of like a tuscan tortellini soup but there’s no meat! The depth of flavour comes from the mushrooms being browned and the parmesan -both umami rich ingredients that make for the most delightful and comforting pasta filled soup. It also comes together in less than an hour which is always a win when it comes to comfort food.

I used spinach and feta tortellini but you could use any vegetarian filling you please. I also did not bother to make my own pasta, it just felt like unnecessary extra steps… even for me!

Do take the time at the start to build extra flavour, don’t rush the cooking down of the sofrito or the browning of the mushrooms as these two things really help add that depth of flavour that you’re after. You can use parmesan brodo/broth as your vegetable stock in this or  just vegetable stock. If you’re using the parmesan kind then you can skip the parmesan rind in this recipe.

Rainy days like today call for this kind of recipe, it warms you from the inside out an what could be better than that?

Serves 6

Ingredients

500g Spinach and ricotta tortellini

2 Tbs extra vrigin olive oil

2 carrots

1 brown onion

4 sticks of celery

1.5 Tbs fresh lemon thyme (or regular) leaves

4 cloves garlic, rushed

350g, halved, then sliced cup mushrooms

1 can crushed tomatoes, or polpa (if using whole, crush them with your hands first.

1 bay leaf

2 litres vegetable stock

3 x 3cm chunks parmesan rind

100g kale, finely shredded

2 Tbs cream

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

lemon, chilli flakes and peper to serve.

Directions

Place a wide deep saucepan on medium high heat. Add oil then add carrot, celery and onion. Fry over medium heat fro 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and lemon thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden. Add extra oil if necessary.

Add the crushed tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, it should no longer smell like raw tomato!. Add the bay leaf, vegetable stock and parmesan rind. Bring up to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add pasta kale and take off the heat 2 minutes before pasta time suggests. This should stop it from over cooking. Stir through the grated parmesan.

Stir through the cream to finish. Serve with a lemon wedge, chilli flakes and pepper. Add more parmesan, always.

If taking for lunch then store the broth and tortellini separately to stop them overcooking. You can use a slotted spoon to remove them.

Fish out the rind as you find it!

HH. x