I confess I am a real pasta lover. Todd, not so much . . . but I adore pasta in any way shape or form. I do confess that more often than not I eat pasta shapes. I also really love Gnocchi, and I have used it alot. I was recently given the opportunity to try some pasta from a Company called Dell' UGO and I was sent three different types to test. Two filled and one gnocchi. I cooked them all at the weekend and here is what I thought!
First up was their Roasted Pumpkin & Chorizo Ravioli. Let me tell you . . . this is not Chef Boy Ar Dee!! This is real pasta and it was delicious.
It had a generous filling of sweet roasted pumpkin, along with rich chorizo sausage and creamy mozzarella cheese, infused with a hint of chilli. All of this wrapped up in a free range egg parcel of tasty pasta.
The packaging is very attractive, both in design and colour. Plus the pasta is presented in a hard plastic case which means it isn't all banged up or crushed. It also wasn't all stuck together, which has been my experience with a lot of fresh filled pasta which I have bought in recent years.
Also, printed on the back of the package, along with the cooking instructions, there was a suggested serving idea.
And then inside there were a further two simple delicious recipes, one of which I am showing you today, along with some tasty Tips and facts! Fun, fun packaging! The plastic tray is also great for saving and using for other things, which they also give you ideas for. (I am going to use them to put in cookies when I bake them to give away.)
*Pumpkin and Chorizo Ravioli with a Leek, Chilli and Lemon Zest Butter*
Serves 2
1 package of fresh ravioli (two serving size)
half a leek, roughly chopped
Put your pasta on to boil. Melt the butter in a skillet along with the chilli, garlic and leek. Saute for several minutes over medium heat. Remove and add the parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir into your cooked pasta and serve.
They also sent me a package of their fresh Goat's Cheese & Beetroot Fiorelli.
This delicious pasta was created for and is being sold to show Dell' UGO's support for people who are affected by breast cancer, with 10p from every package sold being donated to Breast Cancer Care.
Delicate free range egg pasta parcels filled with Goat's Cheese and Tasty Beetroot which has been marinated in a pomegranate and mint relish.
I have to say I really enjoyed this. I love, LOVE both Goat's cheese and Beetroot, so this was a real winning combination. Just like the ravioli, it had lovely packaging with the same hard recyclable plastic tray, built to protect the pasta from being bashed about.
The same cooking instructions and tips for serving on the outside of the package, along with two delicious collectable recipes on the inside of the package, along with more Top Tips and Facts.
I chose to make the Spinach and Chive Pesto, and it was absolutely delicious. (Very colourful too!)
*Goat's Cheese and Beetroot with Spinach and Chive Pesto*
Serves 2
This pesto sauce is a delicious sauce, that would go well with just about any pasta.
250g of fiorelli (1/2 pound)
50g baby spinach (about 2 cups)
1/2 bunch fresh chives
100ml of olive oil (1/3 cup)
20g of Parmesan Cheese (1/4 cup)
1 clove of garlic, peeled
20g toasted pine nuts (about 2 TBS)
Heat a pan of boiling water. Quickly dip in the chives and spinach and then remove after a few seconds so that they retain their crisp green colour. Cool slightly. Put into a blender along with the olive oil, cheese, pine nuts and garlic. Blend to a coarse paste. Heat another pan of lightly salted water and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain well and then return to the pan. Toss with the pesto and warm through. Serve in heated bowls.
I was also sent a package of Dell' UGO Fresh Pumpkin Gnocchi. I quite simply adore Gnocchi. I have never tried any kinds but plain gnocchi before, but I can tell you after tasting this I will be trying other types more often!
Delicate pillows of freshly steamed potato, pumpkin and free range egg . . . this was delicious! It was light and not heavy, with the most delicate pumpkin flavour!
Pumpkin and sage go very well together and I know sage is a real favourite herb used in Italian cooking and so I created a browned butter and crispy sage sauce to go with this.
I kind of hesitate to really call it a sauce actually . . . because it is just basically browned butter with frizzled sage leaves and a touch of lemon juice.
But it went absolutely perfectly with this beautiful pumpkin gnocchi and I have to say out of the three, this was my very favourite dish of all! I am already craving it again . . . so I guess I'll just have to go out and buy me some of this tasty gnocchi!
*Pumpkin Gnocchi with a Brown Butter and Sage Sauce*
Serves 4
Melt the butter in a skillet. Cook just until it begins to brown. Add the sage and fry until crisp. Add the gnocchi and toss together to coat. Cook for several minutes, until the gnocchi begin to brown. Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice, toss together and serve.
Dell' UGO Pasta is the longest established fresh pasta in the UK, having come about when the Paul Ugo's grandfather came over to the UK from Italy in 1929. Since that time the company has gone from strength to strength to develop award winning fresh pastas and products. Theirs is truly a quality product and I would not hesitate to buy it.
Do check out their website here, where you can learn more about their origins and products. They not only produce a lovely line of Filled Pastas, but also Gnocchi, Arancini, a Gluten Free Range and a range of Foccaccia. They also have a delicious Recipe Section which they add to all the time. Their pasta products can be purchased at Waitrose and Costco, online via Ocado and Waitrose and the gluten free products are available via Whole Foods Market.
Many thanks to Dell' UGO for sending me these lovely pastas to try. Do note that although I was sent the pasta free of charge, any and all opinions are my own. I am altogether not surprised that this is an award winning pasta company. This is a quality product and something which I will certainly be buying in the future.
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