Rana - Pasta Made with Passion.

Chef Giovanni Rana

Rana - Pasta Made with Passion

Website: http://www.giovannirana.com/index.php

I have mentioned many a time that I am "pasta making challenged", so buying pasta products at the supermarket is a given for me.  It's what I do with it that makes the total difference where someone cannot tell if it's homemade, or from the store.  So it was no wonder that, having a "Buy One, Get One Free" coupon for Rana Fresh Pasta found me at the store buying two bags of ravioli to try out.  "How was it?", you might ask.  The next time I was at the store, I purchased several more bags of different varieties (ravioli and tortelloni); yeah, it's that good!

Now I'm not one to buy sauces though; I make my own killer ones, so I cannot tell you about Rana's pasta sauces that are sold next to the pasta products.  I'm thinking though, if the pasta is that good, perhaps the sauces are as well?  Maybe, just maybe, if I get another of those "buy one, get one free" coupons, I might break down and try the sauces out.

Why do we like this pasta?  First off, it cooks more quickly than other brands, within three minutes of adding it to boiling water.  The texture is outstanding; the pasta itself is thin, light and feels good in the mouth; but it holds up in the boiling water and doesn't split apart.  Fillings are exceptional; a good sized portion in the ravioli or tortelloni without taking it to the point of busting.  Packed with flavor, and the cheeses are so smooth and, shall I say it again, a feel good experience in the mouth.  The pasta also holds onto the sauce well; add a good, grated Pecorino Romano cheese for the perfect touch.

We've become big fans of this product, and we'd much rather buy Rana, than other brands we've tried.  By the way, it can be frozen and the cooking time only increases by two minutes, so five minutes until a happy Italian meal...not bad!



Mary Cokenour

Sun-dried Tomatoes Take Alfredo Sauce to a New Height in Flavor.

Sun-dried tomatoes are just as the name sounds; Roma tomatoes (the best for this process) are cut 1/4 inch thin, laid out in the sun and dried to remove all moisture content.  The flavor of the tomato itself is now highly concentrated; they can be stored in an air tight plastic bag, or preserved in oil.  Now preserving in oil causes the dried tomatoes to absorb that oil of course, so use them only if you intend on adding oil to your recipe.  The dried tomatoes stored in a bag can be reconstituted by pouring hot water till they are covered; let sit for a half hour.  Don't throw away that water!  It's now full of flavor and can be used, for example, an addition to your pasta water; flavoring your dough when making focaccia, rolls or bread.

Since the Alfredo sauce will not be strictly a cream sauce (addition of diced sun-dried tomatoes), throw in a couple of tablespoons of diced green or red bell peppers for added color and texture.  Alfredo sauce begins with a basic recipe for Béchamel (white sauce); it's the addition of Parmesan cheese that creates Alfredo.

Basic Béchamel Recipe

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups hot milk
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat until melted; gradually add the flour, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns a golden brown color, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time; whisk continuously to avoid burning or clumping. When mixture is completely smooth, remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg; set aside until ready to use.

Makes 3 cups.

For the Alfredo sauce, once the mixture is smooth, add one cup of grated Parmesan cheese and continue to whisk until smooth; add the salt and nutmeg as directed.

For the Sun-dried Alfredo sauce, after the butter has melted, add 1/4 cup of diced, reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes plus a teaspoon of minced garlic.  Once they begin to sizzle in the butter, then continue the rest of the sauce making process.  Add in two tablespoons of diced green or red bell peppers, if desired, after the sauce is finished.

Sun-dried Afredo Sauce with diced green bell peppers added.

Cheese Tortelloni; garnished with parsley.

Italian Sausage added.

Mary Cokenour

Remember that Garlic Butter Sauce?

You remember, don't you?  The packet of Garlic Butter Sauce I had stashed in the freezer from the Buitoni Shrimp and Lobster Ravioli box. Well I found another way to use it, and to try out a little more fusion cuisine while I was at it. Once again this pasta making challenged woman used a Buitoni product, Cheese and Roasted Garlic Tortelloni; but mixed it with stir fry vegetables...a little bit Italian with a little bit Asian.


I purchased two (9 ounce) packages of the tortelloni and one (16 ounce) package of frozen stir fry vegetables.  I opened up the package of vegetables and put them in a colander, so the water could drain away as they defrosted.  That way I could also defrost the packet of sauce at the same time.  When ready, I first cooked the pasta only to the halfway point, not even to al dente; it was going to finish cooking with the vegetables and the sauce later on.



In a large skillet, set on medium-high heat, I melted two tablespoons of butter with two tablespoons of olive oil; the defrosted vegetables went in plus a teaspoon of minced garlic.  I let them cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally to keep them from sticking or burning.  Just before I added the pasta, the contents from the sauce packet got mixed in; squeezed out every drop of the creamy, garlicky, buttery goodness.





Reduce the heat to low, mix in the tortelloni and cover.  Let this cook for seven minutes; basically the pasta will be steamed to desired doneness while absorbing the flavors of the sauce.  You'll end up with four generous portions, or stretch it to six with an added side dish; sprinkling grated or shredded cheese over top is optional.






Here's the completed dish, Garlic Pasta Stir Fry.  Quick, convenient, easy to make and yummy; it looks pretty too, so you'll be sure to impress someone.    Enjoy!

Mary Cokenour