# Tortellini - Maybe the perfect prep food?



## Ohio Rusty (Jan 18, 2008)

I picked up 4 bags of Barilla cheese and spinach Tortellini yesterday at a good discounted priice. I really like the little things. If you are not familiar with Tortellini, they are a stuffed and sealed pasta, dried to a hard, freeze-dried like state. 
We cooked up a bag today, and I was picking and eating a few sitting in the colander. It occured to me here is a product that may be the perfect prep/survival food. Tortellini has plenty of protiens and carbohydrates along with calcium, iron and some necesary dairy fats. 
Tortellini cooks in 10 minutes .... you can eat them cold, you can eat them hot. You can eat them with sauces or just butter and or sour cream. You can just put a little oil on them and add vegetables, or wild greens, or nothing at all and they are still full of flavor. 
Barilla brand comes in a hermetically sealed mylar bag, not a cardboard box. The foods inside the bag are safe from bugs, from water, floods, dust and dirt. Being in a dried state, they have vitrually no expiration date, although after a long time, the pasta noodle might take on a stale taste. They also need no special care where you store them as they need no refrigeration sealed in their bag. 
I think I'm going back to buy a few more bags and stick them in my prep buckets. They are nice to have on hand and available.
Ohio Rusty ><(((o>


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## 54BelAir (Jan 10, 2008)

I love tortellini too! It's great hot with spaghetti sauce, and also makes a superb pasta salad!


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2008)

I've been considering giving them a go so maybe this weekend I will.

.....Alan.


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## wyld thang (Nov 16, 2005)

I like making soup with them, add a can of tomato sauce and a can of chicken broth(or whatever boullion, the point is to have 1/2 tomato sauce 1/2 broth), add some beans, and sliver up greens, I like fresh spinach or rainbow swiss chard. PLus chopped herbs, dried red pepper, black pepper...


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## Bonnie L (May 11, 2002)

I've never seen them, tho I may have eaten them - the description sounds familiar. How long do they keep?


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## Frugalite (Jun 8, 2008)

I guess it would depend on what they are stuffed with.....or are going to keep them frozen?
I love tortellini!!


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

I've eaten the fresh ones, but never tried the dried ones. But if they come that well sealed, they'd be a welcome change from mac and cheese or spaghetti and meat sauce.


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## Sharon (May 11, 2002)

I had some stored in a glass jar with a lid for a LONG time that I forgot about on the shelf. They did get grain moths in them. Also had them get into the sealed bags too; so be sure and store them carefully. It was very disappointing when I went to use them. I toss them in the freezer now just to be safe. I hate grain moths!


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

At the right price, these are excellent pantry items; DS adored them and they get my vote. No, I'm not stocking up because I'm shedding at this point in my life but I had to comment because these (spinach and cheese are all we tried) are really, really good!


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## Jerngen (May 22, 2006)

Fresh stuffed tortellini, especially with herbed cheese, is the BEST!!  

But we do use the dried stuff on occassion. Be careful buying the premade refridgerated kind....... we've had some that were quite good, and some that were downright nasty!! So if you don't like one kind, be sure to try another rather then judging it from that one brand. 

We eat ours with alfredo sauce, or tomato sauce, or our favorite is to saute them with onions/garlic/olive oil and sometimes we'll throw some cubed chicken in there (probably some other fresh herbs or two as well). A splash of red or white wine in the saute pan too!


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## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Costco makes some good pre-made ravioli and other pasta. We got tortellini once and I made a pesto sauce for it....yum! But I'm always looking for something dried to add to non-frozen or canned food storage.


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## chass (May 30, 2008)

Soup here also. Brown onion and garlic. Add canned tomatoes , chicken broth, spinach, tortellini and simmer. We like grated romano cheese on top!


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## JGex (Dec 27, 2005)

I looked at the Barilla Tortellini today and the exp date was only 6 months out. Seems like you'd be constantly turning that over, but I guess I'm constantly turning other stuff over.... just not as quickly.

Would it be better to store the wheat for pasta flour and make your own like ravioli?


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

I bought a large bag of dried tortellini at Costco a while back, and dumped the bag into a gallon glass jar. I have made many meals with it, and it is so convenient to be able to toss some into boiling water and it is cooked in a few minutes. The refrigerated stuff I usually buy takes up freezer space at home, but he dried stores really well and and I can make as much or as little as I want. I plan on stocking up on the stuff!


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## goatlady (May 31, 2002)

I've been stocking that stuff for a few years and never realized there were dates on the packages! Never had a problem with bugs or staleness so far. IIRC there are 3 or 4 different kinds but I can only remeber the 4 cheese and the spinach and cheese kinds. Great stuff especially if you like your pasta al dente.


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## AR Transplant (Mar 20, 2004)

I like using it for toddler food. I cook it and put it in small bags in the frig. Then I grab a bag of it and some fruit or something and some water and have something to give a hungry toddler on the road. 

We also use it for meals as mentioned before and I agree, it's a great stock up item.

ar


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## Michael Kawalek (Jun 21, 2007)

I would guess that if you stored them in a sealed container with an oxygen absorber, or CO2, they'd last even longer. Get rid of the oxygen and you get rid of staleness. I'll look for them on the next shopping trip. Rusty, what section of the store can they be found in?
Thanks


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## AR Transplant (Mar 20, 2004)

I am not Rusty but you can find it in the pasta section in most places.

ar


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## paddymurphy (May 23, 2008)

I like the dried tortellinis but Sams quit carryign the big bags and it is a little pricey for the preps at the grocery store. No I am hungry mmmmm I think I still have some at home????


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