Categories: Pasta

Ingredients

• Handful roughly chopped basil
• 1/4 cup of pine nuts
• 2 garlic, smashed
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
• 7 -8 ounces Italian sausage, casings removed (about 2 links)
• 1 zuchinni, sliced into half-moon shapes
• 1 yellow squash, sliced into half moon shapes
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 9 ounce package fresh 4 four cheese tortellini
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

1. Combine the basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a small food processor or blender. Pulse it until the pine nuts break up (it doesn’t need to be pureed). Slowly pour in the olive oil while pulsing until all of it is combined. I like it a little chunky because the chopped pine nuts add some texture to the dish, but pulse it until you get your desired consistency. If using store bought pesto go ahead and skip this step. You’ll need about a ¼ cup in total, which you’ll add to the pasta at the end.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tortellini and boil it for 7-8 minutes. Drain it and set it aside.
3. In a medium sized pan heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and brown it, using a wooden spoon to break it up into small pieces. Once it’s cooked through (about 5 minutes) remove it from the pan and set it aside.
4. Add the zucchini and yellow squash to the same pan. All it all to brown over medium heat until it’s tender and browned on all sides (about five minutes or so). Add the lemon juice to the pan and scrape up any browned bits of the bottom of the pan. Add the sausage and salt and give it all a good stir to combine. Add in the cooked tortellini, lemon zest, and pesto and toss to combine.
5. Garnish each serving with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of pine nuts (optional)

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