Pesto Tortillini

Pesto Tortillini

Ingredients:

1/2 lb tortellini with your favorite filling

one avocado

one pint cherry tomatoes (halved)

3 slices bacon

1/2 a small onion

olive oil

3-4 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons pesto



Directions:

Chop up the bacon to small pieces and fry up until crisp. Blot off the fat and set aside.

Boil tortellini as directed and drain. (I find that spinach & ricotta or mushroom & gruyère filled tortellini work the best.)

Dice the onion and sweat in a pan with some olive oil until translucent.

Add the bacon, tortellini, pesto and cream (as needed). Stir well until pesto covers the tortellini evenly. If you work fast all the ingredients should still be warm, which helps spread the pesto paste.

Add the avocado and some tomatoes and mix carefully so that you don't destroy the avocado.

Avocado & Pesto Stuffed Tomatoes

Avocado & Pesto Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients:

30 cherry tomatoes

1/2  medium avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut up

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons basil pesto

1 teaspoon lemon juice

fresh basil


Directions:

Cut a thin slice from the top of each tomato. (If desired, cut a thin slice from bottoms of tomatoes so they stand upright.) With a small spoon or small lemon baller carefully hollow out the tomatoes. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Invert tomatoes on the towels. Let stand 30 minutes to drain.

Meanwhile, for filling, in a food processor bowl combine avocado, cream cheese, pesto, and lemon juice. Cover; process until smooth. Spoon filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round or open star tip.

Place tomatoes, open sides up, on a serving platter. Pipe filling into the tomato cups. Serve immediately or cover loosely and refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving. Sprinkle with snipped basil before serving.

Makes 30 appetizers.