Giovanni Rana Pasta Sauces – Review

Last Updated on 12 October 2021 by Colette

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It’s a food post . . . it’s Dave: 

I think any one who has been under some financial hardship has eaten plenty of pasta.  It’s cheap and if you put the effort in it can be a truly great meal.  As such we’ve eaten a fair few different pasta sauces over the years!  We were challenged to use the range of Giovanni Rana fresh pasta sauces in ways which didn’t actually use pasta!  If I’m honest I was quite looking forward to getting in the kitchen and creating. I do a lot/all of the cooking in our house and I fancy myself as a bit of a chef. Amateur, but not without skill!

The sauces we were sent included Carbonara, Tomato and Basil, Sundried Tomato and Marscapone, Butter and Sage, Basil Pesto & Hand Picked Porcini and Cream.

Anyway as is the norm around here time got away from us and I’ve struggled to find the time to make the most of these sauces. I could probably have done a bit more if I was a bit more organised and not running around so much. C- for effort. 

Potato Bake with Carbonara sauce

How to make potato bake with carbonara sauce

Peel and chop up some potatoes into 1 inch sized chunks and boil for about 10 minutes till soft.

Chop some onions and celery then fry gently for 7-8 minutes until soft.

Chop garlic and add to the onion and celery then fry for another 2 minutes.

Chop up some chicken breasts and add to the onion, celery and garlic to brown for 5 minutes then add chopped bacon and fry for another 5 minutes.

Put the drained potatoes in baking dish, add the chicken, bacon etc. from the frying pan.

Add the Carbonara sauce. Mix well and put in the oven at 200 for 10 minutes.

Put some grated cheese on top and back in the oven for another 20 minutes till the cheese is golden on top.

The potato bake was absolutely gorgeous – totally not Slimming World friendly but as a treat it was perfect. Comforting, filling and so so tasty.  I’d have it again in a flash.

Sausage Casserole with Tomato and Basil sauce

How to make sausage casserole with tomato and basil sauce

Brown some sausages in oil for 5 minutes in a casserole dish then remove from the dish to a plate.

Fry some chopped bacon in the dish until brown then remove to the plate with the sausages.

Add some chopped onion and celery to the dish and cook gently for 7-8 minutes until softened.

Add some chopped garlic and fry for another 2 minutes.

Put the sausages, bacon back into the dish then add the Tomato and Basil sauce and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add some drained Butter beans to the dish then cook for another 10 minutes.

I served it with mash.

When Dave said he was going to make a casserole I was a bit nonplussed but my was I wrong – the sauce made for a really rich and tasty casserole – definitely something we’d eat again.

Chicken and Pesto Tart

How to make Chicken and Pesto Tart

Chop and fry some chicken until cooked.

Chop up a Red pepper.

Get yourself some pre-made Puff Pastry and unroll it.

Smear the Puff Pastry with the Basil Pesto leaving a 1 inch space around the edge for it to rise.

Scatter mozzarella over the Pesto then add the Chicken and the pepper.

Pop it in the oven on a baking tray for 15 minutes at 200.

I made this one!! I did the cooking!  Am I allowed to say how nice it was when I made it myself?  It was – and so easy to make as well! 

Pizza with Sundried Tomato and Mascarpone sauce

How to make pizza with tomato and mascarpone sauce

I was originally planning on making pizza dough but time got away from me so we bought some in the end!

Put the Tomato and Marscapone sauce in a pan and reduce until it’s thickened.

Chop and fry some chicken.

Chop up some peppers.

Spread the sauce onto your pizza base then add mozzarella cheese and chicken and peppers.

Whack it in the oven on top whack for 10-12 minutes.

Who doesn’t love a pizza?  The sauce made for a great pizza sauce and the kids wolfed the lot.

Chicken and Bacon pie with Hand Picked Porcini and Cream sauce

(Unfortunately we didn’t take a picture of this one. I have no excuses. We are rubbish!)

Chop up some chicken and bacon and brown them in a frying pan.

Put the chicken and bacon into a oven proof dish then add the Porcini and Cream sauce. 

Unroll some Puff Pastry over the top of the dish and tuck into the edges of the dish. If there’s any overhanging then chop it off with a knife.

Put this in the oven for about 20 minutes on 200.

Serve with mash and veg.

(Colette says this isn’t a ‘real’ pie as it doesn’t have sides or a bottom. I say she can comment when she does the cooking!)

Oh come on, it isn’t a pie if it just has puff pastry on top . . . hands up who’s with me on that one?

Chicken Fusilli with Butter and Sage sauce

Like I said we have really struggled with time for this so in the end this sauce got used as a pasta sauce which while not what was in the brief tasted delicious.

Chop and fry some chicken. 

Add the sauce to the pan and cook for a few minutes.

Cook your pasta then mix it all together.

This was a lush pasta sauce – really different from anything we’d tried before and I would definitely have it again! 

We’ve both really enjoyed this challenge, it’s so easy to get stuck in a bit of a food rut so it was great to try out some new things with the pasta sauces.  

*Disclaimer – We were sent a selection of pasta sauces and compensated for the ingredients we needed to buy to make these meals.  All thoughts and opinions remain our own*