Broccoli & Tortellini Salad with Arugula Pesto

Source: Vanderbilt University

This pasta salad is filled with color, flavor and crunch.

Steps

1. Boil large pot of water.
2. Mince garlic in food processor.
3. In batches, prepare pesto by processing arugula, cheese, oil, 4 cups of pine nuts, lemon zest and salt, scraping down sides as necessary, until mixture is fairly smooth.
4. Cook tortellini in boiling water, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes or according to package directions.
5. Place broccoli in pan and quickly blanch in steamer, leaving it bright green and tender crisp.
6. Reserve ½ gallon of pasta-cooking liquid and drain tortellini.
7. Add some reserved cooking liquid to pesto to achieve thin consistency and quick chill.
8. Transfer tortellini and broccoli to sheet pans and cool completely.
9. Once cooled, add broccoli and tortellini together and toss with pesto. Serve sprinkled with remaining pine nuts.