Feeding a Crowd

It was recently Family Day at work, and in my group we always do a pot-luck luncheon, as not everyone has family attending the event. Knowing we needed more hearty main dishes, I thought about what I could make (more or less) at home, ahead of time that transports well and that would be good to eat!

I started with some store-bought cheese tortellini, cooked and drained them. I mixed in a couple teaspoons of olive oil to prevent sticking. I then chopped tomatoes (fresh) and roasted red peppers (from a can). I also tore some arugula and basil leaves for inclusion in the pasta. Finally, I marinated some perline mozzarella (little balls of mozzarella) in balsamic vinegar, a little olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper. I also planned to use the last of my pesto on the tortellini.

Perline mozzarella marinating in balsamic vinegar, oil and seasonings.

I packed it up separately, with the mozzarella in one container, the pasta with some tomatoes and peppers in another, and the rest of the peppers and tomatoes, with the arugula and basil on top of it, in a third container. They were all in the fridge overnight at home. After the drive to work, I put the pasta and mozzarella in the fridge at work, but left the tomatoes, peppers and greens container out.

The tortellini with pesto, tomatoes and roasted peppers.

When it came time to serve, I simply mixed it all together in a large bowl, using the marinade from the mozzarella to dress the salad. It tasted fresh and flavorful, and was a nice, lighter treat on a hot day. The leftovers kept well enough that I even ate the rest (over three more meals)!

The finished dish.