Bertolli’s Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Ravioli is my new favorite food. Their website describes the dish, which is part of their classic dinners line, as “ravioli filled with spinach and ricotta cheese and topped with a classic tomato sauce made with white wine, garlic, Bertolli Extra Virgin olive oil, and a blend of Italian spices.” How could anyone resist trying a meal of that description? The best ingredient, however, is what is not in Bertolli’s ravioli: preservatives. The list of ingredients on the bag are all foods that one can recognize and pronounce.
Also on the bag is a suggestion for the type of wine to pair with the food: zinfandel. The website suggests using pinot noir. Of course, when I cooked the food I had not yet looked at the website, and since I made the mistake of associating zinfandel with white zinfandel, I chose my fall back wine, merlot. The thought process went like this: red meat gets red wine so red tomato sauce must also go with red wine. Although I was wrong about the zinfandel I was right about the wine color. Regardless, I thought it was fun that the company helps the cook out with a wine suggestion. Maybe Bertolli will one day launch a wine line to go with their sauces, pastas and dinners.
Although I usually don’t think of myself as being highly influenced by television commercials (more like highly annoyed), for some reason ever since I saw the commercial for Bertolli’s complete frozen dinners I’ve been intrigued. After all, the commercial promised I would be an Italian chef when I cooked with Bertolli’s. I did feel like a chef when I smelled the olive oil and garlic start to cook.
Speaking of the garlic, if I could change one thing about this dish it would be to slice the garlic more thin; perhaps Bertolli’s could hire the jailhouse chef from the film Goodfellas who sliced his garlic with a razor so it would be transparent when it cooked. Also, I was doubtful about the deliciousness of the meal when I saw the way it looked frozen. Picture frozen cylinders of marinara sauce! Of course the finished product was delicious.
I’m from south Georgia, so I’ll admit I don’t know all that much about Italian food. The two Italian places in my little town are run by Greeks and Turkish people! But I’ve had good Italian American food at Carrabba’s restaurant in the big city closest to my small town, and while Bertolli’s Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Ravioli isn’t as good as the fare at Carrabba’s, it makes Olive Garden taste like Chef Boyardee.
Sunday I’m going to buy four bags (each bag serves two) and I’m inviting my in-laws for dinner. And that sister-in-law of mine: everyone has one. You know, the one who thinks nobody cooks like her? I’ll bet she won’t know its frozen food. And this time, I’m serving the Zinfandel.
