Four-Cheeses Tortellini with Tomatoes, Kalamatas and Basil

Tuesday, 20 July 2010 · 35 comments

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in Main Dishes

Four-Cheeses Tortellini
Summer dinners call for quick and flavorful, using fresh seasonal produce. This pasta meal takes as long as your pasta takes to cook in water.    I’ve used sweet grape tomatoes in combination with colorful yellow and orange tomatoes, not only for slight flavor variations, but also aesthetically a bright and summery presentation.      Good extra-virgin olive oil tossed with garlic and basil lend to the complimentary cheese flavors both within the tortellini and the cheeses sprinkled on top of the pasta.     The red pepper flakes adds a kick to the dish without overpowering the delicately balanced flavors.     This is a meal in itself with or without a small side salad of baby lettuce greens.     Pair it with a glass of crisp Pinot Gris…a lovely meal, indeed!
Teenie Notes
  • Picked up a healthy portioned package of tortellini from Costco that included the four cheese blend within the tortellini.
  • Found a nice four cheese mix of pre-grated cheeses that blended provolone, asiago, romano and Parmesan. Worked complimentary well in the dish.
Four-Cheeses Tortellini with Tomatoes, Kalamatas and Basil
Serves 2

Four Cheeses Tortellini Ingredients

4 cups cheese tortellini pasta

2 – 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
14 grape or cherry tomatoes
1 yellow tomato, chopped large pieces
1 orange tomato, chopped large pieces
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted
Salt
Tellicherry black pepper

1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped

2-3 teaspoons red pepper flakes
Four cheese blend, grated

Directions

Prepare and cook tortellini according to package instructions.   Drain and place in a large bowl (where you will eventually be gently tossing the additional ingredients within).

While the pasta is cooking, in a medium-sized bowl gently mix olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, kalamata olives, salt and pepper to taste.   Add this olive oil-tomato mixture to prepared pasta and gently incorporate together with basil.

Portion into two servings.   Sprinkle with cheese blend and red pepper flakes.

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Four Cheeses Tortellini Ingredients

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{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Jennifurla July 20, 2010 at 10:58 am

This looks so fantastic!

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2 Carol Egbert July 20, 2010 at 11:38 am

This recipe is a great combination of colors, flavors and textures.

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3 Jean July 20, 2010 at 12:00 pm

Yum! The tomatoes are so vibrant–I’ve always enjoyed them paired with olives. What a perfect dish for lunch…come to think of it, now…

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4 Angie's Recipes July 20, 2010 at 12:00 pm

I love this colourful summery treat! Beautiful.
Been a follower for a long while :-)) and just like your post on FB too.

Have a wonderful day!
Angie

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5 Monet July 20, 2010 at 12:36 pm

I love using different hued tomatoes during the summer months. My personal favorites are the little yellow ones. Your salad looks beautiful visually, and with such a vibrant list of ingredients, I’m sure it tastes wonderful as well!

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6 Kath July 20, 2010 at 1:44 pm

Your photos are absolutely mouth-watering! What a perfect summer salad!

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7 Winelady Cooks July 20, 2010 at 2:17 pm

This dish looks so delicious. A terrific way to use garden fresh ingredients. The olives give great flavor too.

Thanks for sharing,
Joanne

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8 Jeanne July 20, 2010 at 3:02 pm

The colors that you used really caught my eye! And it sounds so delicious, too. Great inspiration for a summer dinner!

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9 bunkycooks July 20, 2010 at 3:21 pm

This is perfect with all the beautiful tomatoes and colors! How many more months to we get to enjoy really great produce??

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10 Chef Dennis July 20, 2010 at 4:25 pm

What a perfect summer meal Christina! those lovely tortellini’s with those gorgeous tomatoes and kalamata olives…..not only delicious but beautiful too!

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11 Dawn@CocinaSavant July 20, 2010 at 5:15 pm

this looks absoultey perfect! the colors in the dish help to look just as mouthwatering as it sounds. this combination would be perfect for a summer dish to bring to an outdoor get together. i’m drooling at the thought of getting to try it soon.

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12 penny aka jeroxie July 20, 2010 at 5:26 pm

How refreshing! I love this…. :) Great in summer

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13 FOODESSA July 20, 2010 at 6:05 pm

Cristina…this dish is so inviting.
I can’t wait until our Montreal market is overflowing with the same variety of tomatoes.
Cheese tortellini are the pasta of preference at our home.

Beautiful photos ;o)
Flavourful wishes, Claudia

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14 Sommer @ A Spicy Perspective July 20, 2010 at 6:40 pm

Beautiful dish! The shopping list is right up my alley, especially the olives!

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15 Lisa { AuthenticSuburbanGourmet } July 20, 2010 at 8:40 pm

Stunning photos! What a simple weekday meal – love it!!!

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16 Roti n Rice July 20, 2010 at 8:42 pm

The dish looks so lovely and flavorful! It’ll be perfect paired with a green salad.

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17 The Duo Dishes July 20, 2010 at 9:43 pm

The olives are such a nice touch. A little salt, a little heat, lots of cheese. Lovely.

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18 CC Recipe July 21, 2010 at 5:42 am

My kind of pasta dish, yum, 4 cheese tortellini…great combo, looks delish!

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19 Simply Life July 21, 2010 at 6:07 am

Oh yum, that looks beautiful and delicious!

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20 Mary July 21, 2010 at 9:43 am

What a lovely dish. It is a perfect summer meal. It looks and sounds delicious. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary

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21 MaryMoh July 21, 2010 at 1:11 pm

Looks light and delicious to me. I love all the different types and colours of tomatoes. Makes the dish very cheering and inviting :D

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22 Torviewtoronto July 21, 2010 at 2:39 pm

Lovely colours

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23 claudia lamascolo July 21, 2010 at 5:47 pm

Love this dish perfect for these hot days!

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24 Patty Price July 21, 2010 at 6:11 pm

What a perfectly simple summer meal that really takes advantage of the delicious tomatoes with a few fresh herbs thrown in, it’s on my list of recipes to try, thanks!

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25 Patty July 21, 2010 at 7:03 pm

Oh my yes! This is what I’m talking about! I have yet to fully enjoy a good, solid pasta dish this summer and I think your recipe hits the spot! I’ll most definitely have this pasta dish with some white wine! Yum!

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26 Lynne @ CookandBeMerryl July 21, 2010 at 8:12 pm

Fresh summer tomatoes and kalamata olives…what could be better. My mouth is watering thinking about the acid sweet of the tomatoes and the salt of the olives together. Oh yes.

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27 denise @ quickies on the dinner table July 22, 2010 at 1:00 am

Beautiful, healthy, delicious – I really wouldn’t expect anything more from a summer pasta dish!

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28 Magic of Spice July 22, 2010 at 6:46 pm

You sure no how to turn simple into gorgeous!

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29 Caveman Cooking July 23, 2010 at 3:25 pm

Cristina, this looks like a perfect summer-time dish! Plus, I think my herbivore Cavewoman would go crazy over it!!

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30 RKM July 24, 2010 at 8:17 am

I can taste this dish right off the screen. You have a way of telling a story with your pictures, and the message is EAT GREAT FOOD!

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31 yasmeen July 24, 2010 at 8:38 am

A vibrant and juicy pasta,whats not to like :D

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32 Alison July 26, 2010 at 9:37 am

Beautiful!

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33 Baking Serendipity July 27, 2010 at 7:49 pm

What a perfect summer dish :) This looks delicious!

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34 Spoon and Chopsticks July 28, 2010 at 5:17 am

Great photos… Looks really yummy…

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35 Christine @ Fresh Local and Best July 29, 2010 at 2:14 pm

I adore the fresh vibrant colors and flavors in this dish and actually all of the dishes you have featured on your blog lately! The pictures are stunning!

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