Tortellini with Mushroom Sauce

Shiitake mushrooms in an easy garlic-Parmesan sauce add satisfying flavor to this vegetarian dinner. Frozen cheese tortellini is the secret to getting this meal on the table in no time.

1¼ cups (1/3 of a 16-oz bag) cheese tortellini
2 tsp. olive oil
8 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps halved and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup water
coarse sea salt
pepper, freshly cracked
3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp. butter, cold
1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook tortellini according to package instructions; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender, about 7 minutes.

Add 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add tortellini, Parmesan, butter, and parsley. Toss to coat; serve.

Makes 1 serving.

Cook's Note:  If you find fresh tortellini, you can use that instead of frozen; cook in a pot of boiling salted water until the pasta floats to the top, about 3 minutes. The mushroom sauce can also be tossed with plain pasta, such as fettuccine, linguine, or spaghetti. Cook 2 oz of pasta, and add 2 more Tbsp. of Parmesan.