Lenten Special

                          Cheese Tortellini with Lemon Roasted Asparagus 

Cook's notes: A Lenten Special that's easy to prepare and bursts with lemon flavors and delicious roasted asparagus. It's great as a main meal or served as a side dish. Broccoli can be substituted for asparagus.
Recipe adapted from twopeasandtheirpod.com and serves 3-4.
Ingredients:
For the roasted asparagus or broccoli  

• 1 lb. broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces or 1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 3-inch pieces 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or lemon olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon good-quality balsamic white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3 lemon slices
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Tortellini

• 1- 9 oz. package cheese tortellini (refrigerated, I used Buitoni but frozen works also) ravioli can be substituted for the tortellini
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 cups packed fresh spinach
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the broccoli or asparagus pieces on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, and balsamic. Add the garlic and lemon slices, and toss the broccoli or asparagus until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 
• Roast for 20 minutes, stirring once. Remove broccoli or asparagus when it's crisp and slightly charred. Remove the lemon slices and tent a piece of foil over the asparagus or broccoli to keep them warm. 
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to package instructions. When cooked, drain, reserving  1/4 cup of the pasta water. Set the water and tortellini aside.
• Put the pot back on the stove and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté 1 minute. 
• Turn the heat to low and add in the reserved pasta water, cooked tortellini, lemon juice, and spinach. Cook on low until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Add in Parmesan cheese and asparagus or broccoli. Stir and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm and add lemon zest over the dish.