One-Pot Tortellini With Meat Sauce

From https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024107-one-pot-tortellini-with-meat-sauce

Total Time: 45 minutes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole or crushed tomatoes
• Salt and pepper
• About 1 pound fresh or frozen cheese tortellini (no need to thaw)
• Finely grated Parmesan, for serving
• ½ cup/4 ounces grated mozzarella (optional)

Step 1

Finely grate the garlic into a large Dutch oven or skillet. Add the olive oil and tomato paste and set over medium-high heat. When it sizzles, stir until the oil is a rusty red, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sausage, breaking it into small pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is starting to crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 2

Stir in the tomatoes. (If using whole tomatoes, break them up with your spoon.) Season with salt and pepper and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer over medium until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in the tortellini, cover and cook until tender, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway through and scraping any that might be stuck to the bottom of the pot. If the sauce looks dry, add ¼ cup water. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve topped with Parmesan.

Step 4

If you’d like a melted-cheese top like a baked pasta, heat the broiler with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Sprinkle the tortellini with the mozzarella. Broil until melted and browned in spots, 2 to 4 minutes.