Recipe: Pesto Tortellini with tomatoes and mushrooms

I've been making variations of this Pesto Tortellini with tomatoes and mushrooms for years! It was actually inspired by one of my favorite dishes at Noodles & Co.: Pesto Cavatappi. One day, I realized that I could probably make it myself and I have been ever since. A few tweaks here and there, and its become one of my favorites in my arsenal.

You'll need:
2 Tablespoons Pesto
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tomato
1 handful Mushrooms
1 clove Garlic
Tortellini (we used about half of a large package of Bertolli Tortellini)
Parmesean, to top

Serves 2 as a main dish

Fill a pot with cold water, place on stove, and bring to a boil. While your water is heating up, wash and slice your mushrooms and tomatoes. I like to slice my tomato in wedges. Put tomatoes and mushrooms in a large saucepan and set aside. Peel your garlic clove, place on its side on a cutting board, and use the side of your knife to smash the clove. Then, finely chop the garlic and add to saucepan containing the mushrooms and tomato. At this point, the water in your pot should be about to boil. When boiling, add your tortellini and cook according to package directions (mine needed about 10 minutes in boiling water).

After adding the tortellini, return to your saucepan of vegetables and add the pesto and olive oil. Give it a quick stir and place over medium-low heat. Allow to simmer and occasionally stir while your tortellini is cooking. If your sauce seems to be drying out, feel free to add a bit more olive oil. When your tortellini is done, strain the pasta then add it to the saucepan with the pesto and vegetables, bringing it down to a low heat. Mix ingredients together until combined, then remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish. Top with a sprinkle of parmesean and serve with a glass of white wine.

Have you ever tried to recreate a favorite restaurant dish? How did it turn out? Was your version better than the original?