I just loooove this tortellini al forno recipe — and my boyfriend does even more — it has all the things that I appreciate in a recipe: convenience, quick and a great comfort taste.
Disclaimer: If you are looking for a recipe from scratch this may not be the best suit for you. This is an extremely simple recipe that is made for busy home cookers that want to impress without having all the fuss in the kitchen.
This is almost like an Italian casserole for the cold days to come.
Right now in Portugal, there is a cold wave and this tortellini al forno fit like a glove with my mood. I just wanted a big warm tortellini hug — this phrase is so wrong and so right at the same time. The thing is that this dish is all comfort and zero diets.
It has the three big things for an Italian casserole:
- A good and deep red sauce: I like to use Pomodoro sauce with a chunk of tomatoes because I think it gives it a more rustic feel.
- Bechamel. You can make it using whole milk, butter, flour and a pinch of nutmeg. Or like me in this cold day…. canned bechamel!
- Cheese: For this recipe, I like to mix two types of cheese; mozzarella and Parmigiano. I cover the tortellini with mozzarella and take them to the oven for 15 minutes. Then I take the tortellini out and sprinkle with Parmigiano and take it to the oven — in grill mode — for 5 more minutes. Crusty outside and cheesy inside.
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What about the tortellini?
Well, you can choose your favorite brand of pre-made tortellini. I like to use Giovanni Rana bolognese tortellini because they are a high-quality Spanish brand that I can find easily here in Portugal. You just need to find a brand that is close to you and that delivers quality tortellini.
For this recipe, I stick to bolognese tortellini or spinach and cheese tortellini.
You just need to cook them according to the package and place them directly into cold water after boiling to stop the cooking process.
The last thing to do is to assemble our beautiful and tasty tortellini al forno.
The base is the red sauce, then the tortellini, then cover entirely with the bechamel and top with the mozzarella cheese. After 15 minutes baking sprinkles with the parmesan and takes it to the oven in grill mode. Serve hot and garnish with fresh parsley.
I hope you like this recipe and I see you in the next one!
- 250 gr bolognese or spinach tortellini package
- 1 can of Pomodoro sauce
- 1 cup bechamel sauce
- 100 gr grated mozzarella cheese
- 50 gr grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Parsley for garnish
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Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF)
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Cook the tortellini according to their package instructions.
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In a baking pan pour the Pomodoro sauce and cover the bottom evenly.
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Place the tortellini and cover them with the bechamel as even as you can.
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Top with the mozzarella cheese. Take to the oven for 15 minutes.
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Change the oven setting to “grilled mode”. Sprinkle the tortellini with the Parmigiano and take it to the oven for 5 minutes until a crust is formed.
I’m Maria and I love cooking—and mostly EATING—food from all around the world. I’ve been sharing my abuela’s secret Latin-American recipes for the last 7 years with the world on this blog. I’ve been a full-time food blogger for many years and I’m always trying new delicious meals that don’t require a culinary degree or a Michelin-star chef. I also love traveling, cats, and knitting.