Italian cooking fans will love this soup which takes wonderful cheese and tomato flavours for a slow-cooked lasagna tortellini soup. Australian expat Danielle Rossetti is a big fan of this dish. “I love this recipe from ‘Chelsea’s Messy Apron’ blog, particularly because it’s great for feeding three hungry boys,” she says. Crank up the stovetop, crack open a red and enjoy!
Ingredients
• 500g extra lean ground beef
• ½ cup yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans (800g) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (400g) petite diced tomatoes
• 1 can (170g) tomato paste
• 1 can (300g) condensed tomato soup
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1½ teaspoons dried basil
• Optional: ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ tablespoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 package (450g) frozen cheese-filled tortellini
• Optional: 4 tablespoons fresh parsley
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping
• Large spoonful of ricotta cheese for topping
Instructions
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until cooked through. Add the onion and garlic in the last few minutes of cooking (they don’t need to cook or get all the way tender).
2. While the beef is cooking, pour the crushed tomatoes, petite diced tomatoes, tomato paste and condensed tomato soup in the slow cooker. No need to drain any of the cans!
3. Add in the sugar and seasonings: dried basil, fennel, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
4. Stir in the cooked ground beef with onions and garlic. Then, add in the beef broth.
5. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for three to four hours, or on low for five to seven hours.
6. About 15 to 20 minutes before you’re ready to serve, pour the frozen tortellini into the soup. Turn the slow cooker up to high (or leave it if it was already on high) and let the tortellini cook.
7. Serve in bowls with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, a large spoonful of ricotta cheese (you may want to stir in the cheeses!), any extra seasonings you want, and some freshly chopped parsley
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This article first appeared in the July 2018 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
