Creamy Tortellini Ratatouille

"I know this sounds insane, but, well, the truth sounds insane sometimes. But that doesn't mean it's not the...the truth. And the truth is, I have no talent at all." - Linguini, from Disney's Ratatouille.

400g Italian sausage tortellini
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 cups eggplant, cubed
1 green pepper, sliced
1  1/2 - 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes or chopped plum tomatoes
1 small yellow zucchini, sliced
a handful of spinach, chopped
6 basil leaves, chopped

Sauce:

1/3 cup beef or vegetable broth
2 tsp flour
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1  1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chive and onion cream cheese 
2 tsps lemon juice

Parmesan cheese

Cook tortellini as per package directions. Drain and toss in a bowl with some olive oil to keep them from sticking.

In a large skillet heat olive oil and lightly brown onion, garlic and mushrooms.
Add eggplant, green pepper, tomatoes and zucchini and continue cooking only until tender crisp. Remove from heat and toss in the spinach and basil.

Love the colours!
Add the cooked vegetables to the tortellini bowl.

Use the same skillet to make the sauce.
Combine broth, flour and seasonings and shake well in a covered jar. Pour into the skillet, whisk and heat until thickened. Add the cream cheese and, once incorporated, remove from heat.  Add the lemon juice.

Pour your sauce into the bowl of veggies and tortellini and stir together. (The sauce takes away from the look of the coloured veggies but it smells soooo goood!)

Spray a 13 X 9 baking dish and fill it up.

Cover and bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Uncover, sprinkle some parmesan over top and return to the oven uncovered for 5 minutes.

It's comfort food to the max!