Gluten Free Reviewer Grocery

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Gluten Free Gnocchi and Pesto: Emilia Rice Gnocchi & Cucina & Amore Pesto Alla Genovese

PRODUCT NAME:                             Pesto Alla Genovese

BRAND:                                              Cucina and Amore

COST:                                                  $3.99                   

SIZE:                                                    7.9 OZ                 

COST PER OZ:                                    $0.50/oz                          

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:                 NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:                N/A

ORGANIC:                                          NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:                N/A

VEGAN:                                              NO   

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:                   YES   

LOCATION OF FACILITY:                 Richmond, CA  

SHELF LIFE:                                        UNKNOWN


PRODUCT NAME:                             Rice Gnocchi    

BRAND:                                             Emilia Brand                       

COST:                                                 $6.99                   

SIZE:                                                  16 OZ                            

COST PER OZ:                                   $0.44/oz                          

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:                 UNKNOWN

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:                 N/A

ORGANIC:                                         NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:                 N/A

VEGAN:                                             YES   

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:                   UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:                   ITALY

SHELF LIFE:                                       UNKNOWN

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging.  We cannot verify the accuracy of this information.  For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.       

REVIEW:

I have never had the pleasure of trying gnocchi before today. It makes me slightly resentful of my parents for raising me on macaroni and spaghetti, and not introducing me to these delicious buttery dumplings sooner. I have nothing to compare Emilia Brand’s Rice Gnocchi to, which was made with rice flour and potato instead of the traditional wheat and potato combo, but I found the texture and flavor very satisfactory.  I found these dumplings soft, chewy and the stick to your ribs type of filling. The dumplings were slightly salty, and made from a smooth dough with a nice texture.

I tossed my gnocchi in Cucina and Amore’s Pesto alla Genovese Basil, and the two products made an ideal match. The soft saltiness of the gnocchi paired with the richness of the pesto made for a decadent dinner that kept me rubbing my belly long into the evening. As I said, this pesto was rich, therefore a little bit goes a long way. It melted nicely on the gnocchi and coated each dumpling evenly, filling all the cracks. The pesto was very smooth and finely ground. I have made simple pesto at home, using only olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, basil, salt, a little lemon, and parmesan. Cucina and amore used more exotic ingredients like chestnuts in addition to pine nuts, potato puree, and Grana Padano Cheese, giving it a more complicated, gourmet taste. Since the flavor is so rich and you only need to use a little bit at a time, I used the leftover pesto on sandwiches and on top of scrambled eggs with veggies, giving all my meals, breakfast lunch and dinner an extra kick of basil.



Taste:  The gnocchi pesto combination was pleasant, filling, and decedent. The gnocchi was soft, chewy, and buttery (without actually containing butter!). The pesto was rich, savory, and very enjoyable. All in all, this was a lovely main course.

Labeling:

RICE GNOCCHI
The label was on the front of the rice gnocchi package and stated nutrition facts, cooking instructions, and an ingredients list. There was no label stating that this product was gluten free or made in a gluten free facility, but upon reading the ingredients list, I didn’t find any gluten ingredients used.

PESTO ALLA GENOVESE BASIL
The front of the package stated that this product was made with all natural ingredients and had no preservatives, the back and sides had information about the product, an ingredients list, and nutrition facts. This product also did not state anywhere that it was gluten free, but like the gnocchi, it used no gluten ingredients.

Packaging:  
The rice gnocchi was inside of a plastic, vacuum, sealed bag. The pesto was packaged in a glass jar with a cardstock label wrapped around the package.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:

Texture:    
Taste:          5         
Value:         3          
OVERALL:   4.3

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