Review Buitoni Riserva Ravioli

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker’s program I got an opportunity to try out Buitoni’s new Riserva pasta.  I’ve actually had the coupon  for a couple of months but kept forgetting to put it on the list and didn’t realize that it was in the freezer section instead of the fridge case with all the other Buitoni fresh pastas.  There were several varieties, but I opted for the Braised Beef and Sausage Ravioli.  The coupon I had was for a complimentary box up to the manufacturer’s recommended price of $5.69.  Um, yeah…expect to pay dearly for this pasta.  Walmart had it for $7.88 and Kroger for over $8.00.  While this is absolutely cheaper than a meal out at an Italian restaurant, it’s a little expensive for what amounts to an easy, I don’t wanna cook night, freezer meal.

It comes together in minutes, taking only 5 minutes more than it takes to bring water to a boil.  Prep was easy.  At first glance I was skeptical that this would really feed two people.  I felt sure I’d have to supplement with a salad and some garlic bread (which I didn’t have in my calorie budget), but actually this was perfectly adequate as a meal for two.  The flavor was far more sophisticated than your standard freezer ravioli and the lovely cream tomato sauce was light and tasty.   If you’re not into making your own pasta or sauce and are still looking to impress, this will do the trick.  Word to the wise, serve on a plate.  We had ours in bowls and it was difficult to cut into bite sized pieces.  And at 590 calories and 19 grams of fat, it’s a very reasonable size portion for dinner on any diet.  Certainly more reasonable than the ginormous portions you’d get in a restaurant.