Italian Sausage Tortellini Bake

• In a pot, add crumbled sausage, green bell pepper and onion. Cook for 10 minutes until the sausage has turned brown and then drain the grease.
• Add diced tomatoes and the marinara sauce into the pot and season with garlic powder. Stir the mixture and allow it to simmer. Reduce the heat and cook for 45 minutes more until the diced tomatoes have dissolved.
• Preheat the oven to 175°C.
• In a large pot, add water and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Slowly add the frozen tortellini and do not take them out until they float to the top. It may take around 6 minutes for them to thaw and get hot from the middle.
• Drain the water and add the tortellini to the sauce. Cook for 5 minutes.
• Pour the sauce in a baking dish and place the tortellini in it. Generously cover the top with mozzarella cheese.
• Slide the dish into the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese has turned golden brown.

Plate a slice and top it with sour cream. Enjoy

Trivia

• Did you know that due to its shape, tortellini pasta is called as “belly button” pasta?

It is believed that the dish was made by the host of an inn who was inspired by Lucrezia Benuzzi's beauty. The man overcame with such ecstasy on his guest’s beauty that he peeped into her room but could only see her navel. This had him rushing to the kitchen and preparing a dish that was later named as “Tortellini”.