Toss our Cheese Tortellini with a creamy stout-cheddar sauce for a satisfying meal that’s ready in minutes.
Ingredients
1 lb Armanino Cheese Tortellini
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ cup Irish Stout
¾ cup whole milk
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups Irish cheddar, grated (6 ounces)
fresh chives, for garnish
Directions
Measure out the stout, let the foam subside then top off as needed. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the tortellini according to the package directions. Drain and set aside until needed.
For the sauce, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat, add the garlic and cook for a minute until sizzling and fragrant.
Add the flour and whisk to form a smooth paste then cook for a minute or two, whisking constantly, to cook out the floury flavor. Do not brown.
Whisk in the stout until smooth, then whisk in the mustard and milk and bring to a low boil.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the grated cheese off the heat, a handful at a time, stirring slowly until melted before adding the next handful. If the sauce cools too much to melt the cheese, return to the lowest heat possible. Do not let the sauce come to a boil.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
Add the cooked tortellini and gently stir to coat.
Serve hot, garnished with finely chopped chives.
The sauce is best served right away but if you need to reheat, do so gently over low heat, adding a bit more milk if needed.
Chef’s Tips
The secret to a smooth, silky cheese sauce is to melt the cheese slowly over a gentle heat – a boiling, too hot sauce will cause the cheese to separate and look curdled. The best bet is to bring to sauce to a low boil first then remove from the heat and add the cheese a little at a time, stirring well before adding more.
Sharp cheddar works so well with the stronger flavors of an Irish stout. If you can’t find Irish cheddar, look for a sharp white cheddar.
If stout isn’t to your liking, a flavorful brown ale would work well too.
