Here’s a Recipe for Delicious Cacio e Pepe Tortellini With Wilted Greens

You may wonder how can quick-cooking macaroni be made even quicker. Well, put away the boiling water! You can prepare this 20-minute dinner in a single skillet, which will leave you with fewer dishes to clean and more time to enjoy your meal. It is inspired by the traditional Roman pasta dish cacio e pepe, whose sauce is prepared with just two ingredients – salty Pecorino Romano cheese and an abundance of freshly ground black pepper.

Making the Tortellini Without Boiling Water

Even though it does not take long to boil tortellini, it does take several minutes to bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Not to mention that there will be an additional dish to clean. Cooking tortellini in its sauce in a skillet is a favorite way to prepare pasta more quickly and with less waste.

This method applies to both frozen and fresh tortellini. The real fun resides in the fact that you get to briefly pan-fry the tortellini before adding water. This can create crispy, deep golden-brown patches and edges on the pasta, which impart a toasted flavor and added texture.

Different Kinds of Greens Can Be Used

Because convenience is the name of the game for this skillet dinner, you can try baby kale or spinach. Both are pre-washed and wilt in just a minute or two when placed in contact with hot pasta. You may also use baby or ordinary arugula if you want to increase the pepperiness even further.

Ingredients for the Recipe

5 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
2 packages of fresh cheese tortellini (8 to 9-ounce packages or a 16 to 20-ounce bag of frozen cheese tortellini
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 glasses of water
3 ounces of baby kale or spinach
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Add more for serving.

The Correct Cooking Method

In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until simmering. Spread the tortellini in a layer. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2 to 4 minutes, or until browned in spots.

Add water, black pepper, and kosher salt to the dish. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan for browned pieces. Cover with a lid or baking sheet and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned pieces from the bottom of the pan, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and almost all of the water has evaporated.

Remove the heat and stir in the greens for about 2 minutes or until just wilted. Add the grated cheese and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and mix well. Serve with additional cheese gratings and freshly ground black pepper. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days in an airtight container.