Gogo Quinoa’s Anellini

Gogo Quinoa’s Pasta

Tested: Anellini

Gogo Quinoa’s anellinii are tiny, textured hoops of organic rice and quinoa flour, and are prettily coloured using beet and spinach dyes and turmeric essence. Not only do they look great, they taste amazing, too. The packaging of the product labels them as a product of Bolivia, who knew?!

I saw these in my favorite health food store and felt kind of a weird communication with the product from where it sat on the shelf, based on the virtue of its good looks. It was as if they were daring me to purchase them.Testing my penchant for all things new and novel against the natural reaction of aghast sticker shock (at the dearness of cost for a little bag of these unfamiliarly shaped gluten-free grain product $6.00 for a mere 300 grams).

I did not know what I was thinking – going home that day with the first cheeky wee bag of pasta rings, but it could be that it was to demonstrate that I am sometimes not a good predictor of the link between price and quality of a product. Although, as soon as I prepared these special noodles I was blown away!

The anellini, according to their instructions, are to cook in boiling water for 13-15 minutes – yes, they really do need that long. They benefit from the longer cooking time recommended for most non-gluten pastas, being that they are a tiny shape that needs the full time for expansion – they really do swell up appreciably.

After draining and rinsing the cooked pasta you begin to SMELL that they’re going to be good. So gooood! Not being familiar with the customary shape of anellini, I did not anticipate the awesome and aggressive ridges present on this product’s shapes that lends it a glorious “bite” when it’s being applied to saucy recipes – it grabs and holds the sauce nicely. Another thing it loves to grab? A pleased reviewer’s loyalty – particularly, mine!

Am I EVER won over by the combo of a mini pasta size with the addition of the detail of these notched ridges for maximum sauce-holding-enjoyment. They make the whole experience of gluten-free pasta much more heightened in sensation.

My least favorite thing about this item, though-the price. I figure a third of the bag, or 100 grams (dry weight), can serve three people at least -this gives you an idea of the dry-versus-cooked yield, and it’s not too bad in the end. The noodles are very filling, and small portions are recommended. The spinach and beet takes care of that savory quality that salt usually lends – I felt no need to add any.

I think it’s quite clear, yummy quinoa pasta mini shapes are now stocked in my pantry (and will be for as far as I can forsee), a real favorite amongst non-gluten free followers.