If serving as an appetizer, allow time for the dip to chill.
*See Kitchen Notes for more information, substitutions and applicable links.
- 2 large red bell peppers*, (fresh or roasted)
- 2 medium onions, cut into 6 to 8 pieces lengthwise
- 1 ½ Tbsp. olive oil (garlic infused if you have it)
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 ½ tsp. white wine vinegar
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups uncooked tortellini
- 2 Tbsp. good quality olive oil
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Garlic powder
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Roast the bell peppers under a broiler or on the grill. Peel, remove seeds and veins, and coarsely chop.
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To roast the onion preheat oven to 375° F (190° C).
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Transfer the onion to an ovenproof dish and toss with 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil and a little salt.
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Roast the onion for 15 minutes, stir and roast another 10 minutes.
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Transfer onion and bell pepper to a blender or food processor. Pulse to chop and almost puree'. Do not fully puree. (Check out the pictures.)
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Transfer to a bowl and stir in the tomato paste and vinegar.
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Taste. Add more salt if needed.
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At this point you can refrigerate until about an hour before serving. Serve cold or at room temperature.
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Cook tortellini in a pot of boiling water until al dente. Be careful not overcooked. Better undercooked than overcooked for this dish.
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Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
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Drizzle with good quality olive oil, add a generous amount of black pepper, a little salt and some garlic powder. Toss.
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As an appetizer - transfer the dip to a small bowl and, in a larger bowl, surround with the tortellini (as shown in first picture).
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As a meal - Toss the tortellini with the pureed peppers and onion. Add some chopped parsley is desired.
Roasted peppers - Any color of ripe, sweet bell peppers can be used. Do not used unripe, green peppers. For a spicy version, add a couple of roasted New Mexico red chile peppers.
The vinegar is to add a little bit of acid. If you don’t have white wine vinegar, use rice vinegar, or pickling vinegar from a jar of capers or olives.
Olive oil – I used garlic infused olive oil on the onion, but I’m sure that comes as no surprise. A good quality olive oil should be used for the tortellini.
Tortellini – Tortellini with any filling can be used: cheese, spinach, mushroom or even chicken or lobster.
Appetizer or entree’?
- As an appetizer, the pepper-onion dip should be cold or at room temperature and the tortellini hot. Provide your guests with small forks to dip the tortellini in the pepper-onion dip or forks and saucers to transfer some of the tortellini and dip to the saucer.
- As an entree’, both should be hot. Toss the heated pasta and sauce with a fresh herb such as parsley, chives, and/or basil. If you don’t have tortellini another pasta such as linguine and farfalle (bow-tie) work great.