It’s fair to say that the reaction to Sainsbury’s latest limited-edition launch has been mixed.
The Taste the Difference Milk Chocolate & Mascarpone Girasoli Pasta sounds more like a dessert than something you’d want anywhere near pesto. It’s already gone viral online, with shoppers trying to work out exactly how – or why – they’d eat it.
So we thought we’d try it for ourselves.
To get some ininitial guidance on how to tackle it, Sainsbury’s says “the product is designed as a playful twist on fresh pasta, giving customers the freedom to enjoy it however they choose.” The launch was inspired by the growing trend for “swavoury” flavour combinations, as the supermarket looks to bring something “delicious, joyful and unexpected” to its Taste the Difference range this autumn.
Sainsbury’s suggests serving the girasoli as a sweet sharing treat, and recommends pairing the pasta with fresh strawberries, chopped pistachios and vanilla ice cream to balance the rich chocolate and mascarpone filling.
What’s the difference between girasoli and ravioli?
If you were wondering what exactly girasoli is, it’s mainly down to the shape. Girasoli is shaped more like a sunflower, whereas ravioli tends to be square – both are stuffed, though not normally with chocolate.
What to read next
But does chocolate-filled pasta actually work?
We tried the girasoli two ways: boiled and cooked in the air fryer, following the cooking time provided on the packet.
Reactions were mixed, and very vocal.
Most people preferred the boiled version, which resulted in a gooier, brownie-batter-like texture. It was still an unusual experience, but the softer consistency seemed to suit the rich chocolate and mascarpone filling better.
The air-fryer version didn’t quite hit the mark. It wasn’t crispy enough to deliver the contrast we were hoping for and ended up feeling a little dry.
Despite the scepticism, everyone wanted to try it — and one person even said they could eat an entire bowl to themselves. Each to their own. Personally, I think both bowls would have been improved with a dollop of mascarpone or vanilla ice cream, and a dusting of chocolate flakes.
So, while this isn’t exactly a straightforward swap for your usual savoury pasta, it may work for the experimental foodies out there.
The limited-edition product is unfortunately already sold out online, but if you’re curious, we’re told you can still find it in some stores.
A stroke of genius or one to swerve? Try it for yourself to find out.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
