Homemade soup flavor in a flash

Chicago Tribune (MCT) - Soup made from scratch is always terrific, but the process of making it can be too much for busy weeknights. That doesn't mean you have to fetch the can opener whenever a craving for soup strikes. Buy some ready-made products at the supermarket, doctor them up with such flavor enhancements as wine, fresh-squeezed lemon, minced garlic, thyme or oregano sprigs and freshly ground black pepper, and you can make a quick soup that tastes like it's been long-simmered.

This recipe uses chicken broth, commercially prepared tortellini stuffed with chicken and prosciutto, fresh baby spinach and grated Parmesan cheese to make a hearty _ but not overwhelming _ fall soup.

___

TIPS:

Stir in a beaten egg a minute before serving for extra richness.

Go vegetarian by using vegetable broth and replacing the meat-stuffed tortellini with those filled with cheese, mushrooms or herbs.

Give the soup an Asian cast by replacing the tortellini with Chinese won tons and finishing it with sesame seed oil instead of Parmesan.

BEVERAGE PAIRING:

Consider a crisp Italian pinot grigio from Alto Adige or Friuli-Venezia Giulia. For a warmer wine tone, pair the soup with a chardonnay from Oregon's Willamette Valley. Mineral water spritzed with lime is a good non-alcoholic refresher.

___

TORTELLINI AND SPINACH SOUP

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Makes: 2 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

½ cup white wine or dry vermouth

1 quart low-sodium chicken broth

1 package (9 ounces) fresh tortellini stuffed with chicken and prosciutto

1 bunch baby spinach

Freshly ground pepper

ÂĽ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 sprigs fresh oregano or basil, optional

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic; cook until golden, 1-2 minutes. Pour in wine; heat to a boil. Cook until the wine is slightly syrupy, about 6 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth; heat to a boil. Add the tortellini; cook according to manufacturer's directions.

2. About 2 minutes before the pasta is done, stir in the spinach; cook until the spinach wilts slightly. Season with pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Garnish with oregano.

Nutrition information: Per serving: 632 calories, 34% of calories from fat, 25 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 55 mg cholesterol, 74 g carbohydrates, 34 g protein, 873 mg sodium, 6 g fiber

___

© 2008, Chicago Tribune.