Tortellini with Brown Butter and Sage

Ingredients

1/2 pound dry pasta or two servings of frozen tortellini
3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup sage leaves, about 10 to 15, left whole or thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
Freshly grated black pepper
Salt to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan (optional)
Procedure

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil; add salt. Cook the pasta or tortellini according to package instructions, then drain.

2. In a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking until the butter begins to brown, keeping a very close watch to ensure it doesn’t burn. Keep in mind that the temperature will continue to rise even off the heat. When the butter is nearing completion, add the sage leaves to crisp in the hot fat. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice to halt the cooking, plus a pinch of salt (unless you’re using salted butter).

3. Toss the drained pasta into the skillet, coating well with the sauce. Finish with black pepper and Parmesan, if desired. Serve immediately.

Credit: Dinner Tonight: Tortellini with Brown Butter and Sage | Serious Eats : Recipes