Sausage Sage Meatballs with Tortellini

First, make the meatballs. Combine the ground sausage, breadcrumbs, egg, sage, roasted garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix it all together well with your clean hands. Form the mixture into little meatballs about the size of the palm of your hand and lay them out on a plate. Then it’s time to put this dish together. Heat the canola oil, olive oil and butter together in a sturdy dutch oven over medium high heat. Brown the meatballs for about 3 minutes on each side, then remove them to a plate and set them aside.

Add the mushrooms to the pan next and let them start to soften for a couple of minutes. Then add the onion, roasted garlic and sage and let them become fragrant and translucent for another minute or so. Pour in the wine and scrape up any brown bits, then pour in the crushed tomato and chicken stock. Return the meatballs to the pot and season it all with generous pinches of salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce it to a simmer. Let it simmer for 30 minutes.

When the 30 minutes are up, uncover the pot and bring it back up to a low boil. Stir in the tortellini and let it cook for about 6–7 minutes, until tender. Scoop out generous helpings into pretty bowls and top them all off with a good sprinkling of asiago cheese. Enjoy!!