Turkey and Cranberry Ravioli - Aldi
Sometimes things just never make it to the blog, even when I have the best intentions to do so. Like these ravioli. I actually bought these, and the bourbon sweet potato flavor, last year and I photographed them and everything...but I never wrote it up. (I'm pretty sure I posted pics to Instagram though.)
Thankfully, both products returned this year, giving me a second chance to share them with you! Also, like HalloWEEK, I'll be posting a new review every day this week for Thanksgiving! So be sure to check back every day to see what I'm munching on!
When I first saw these ravioli I really didn't think I was going to like them. I mean, turkey and cranberry are great, but boiling them in a little dough pocket and then eating them with...what? Tomato sauce? The new packaging released this year suggests a herbed pan-gravy, which doesn't sound like a bad idea, but I think last year's package lacked that information, so I was at a complete loss with what to do with these. Normal tomato sauce was out of the question, so I opted for warm turkey gravy and cranberry sauce.
This plate won't win any beauty contests, but man, it tastes good. Think gobbler sandwich, but in pasta-form. It's kind of garbage, but so comforting, and I absolutely love it.
The ravioli dough is a little on the thick side, especially around the crimpled edges, and the filling appears to be a mild ricotta with tiny dried cranberries and little bits of turkey and turkey-based seasonings. Alone, without toppings, they're bland, but the flavor profile still reads as "Thanksgiving."
I can't seem to find any bits of real turkey inside these things. Maybe it's been pureed into the cheese until it's texturally non-existent. Even though you may not see or feel bits of turkey, it still tastes like it's there. Naked, these aren't half bad. It could be a great seasonal toddler dish, but once you add some toppings, it comes alive for the adult palette.
If you're a pinky-out snooty foodie, you may like these with some brown butter sage sauce. I'm sure you can plate that up with little dabs and fine china to make it Instagram-worthy, and it would still taste great. Me? I opted for the same toppings this year as I did last year, and you know what? I love my ugly little garbage plate.
I grabbed a jar of turkey gravy and heated it up in a pan, drizzled it on top my finished ravioli, and then dropped some whole-berry cranberry sauce on top. It looks disgusting, I know that, but it has all the comfort of a Wawa Gobbler sandwich, with the added comfort of pasta.
Worth noting, this is somehow considered to be two and a half servings. Now, I don't know what kind of bird-people would only eat 3-4 ravioli each and call that a meal. No shame, I ate this entire packet in one sitting. (Sharing one sauce-less ravioli with my dogs. Who absolutely loved it.)
The only thanksgiving flavor this lacks is mashed potatoes. If they found a way to add that to the mix, these would be 100% perfection. Or if they took this concept and changed it into pierogi-form*. Can you imagine? Hearty dough, crispy edges, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, turkey AND cranberry? Quite possibly the ultimate comfort food. (*Apparently, someone from Yes to Yolks made a recipe!)
So yeah, these are ugly, but I really like them. If you're a thanksgiving leftover junkie, or fan of Wawa's Gobbler, my guess is that you'll like these too.
Fans of these would also like: Food Wishes Cranberry Sauce Recipe, Pumpkin Pie Soda, Aldi Pumpkin Cornbread Croutons, What I ate Thanksgiving 2016
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