This is a sponsored post with Bertolli® Rustic Cut™ Pasta Sauces; thoughts and recipe are my own.

Last week I headed to NYC to attend a Bertolli Rustic Cut Pasta Sauce event. It took place at The Gramercy hotel rooftop, and was absolutely stunning. The table was set beautifully. Everyone was there was to try the delicious brand new Bertolli Pasta Sauce called Bertolli® Rustic Cut™ Pasta Sauces. As all of you know, I love to make my own sauce but when I don’t have time I love to grab a good jarred tomato sauce. I was always a fan of traditional Bertolli Pasta Sauces but after trying the new Rustic Cut Pasta Sauces I was hooked. Not only does the sauce taste fresh but, the veggies are still a little al dente, giving you that homemade hearty sauce that we all desire.

 

The event had some delicious wines to pair up with dinner. Appetizers started out with Arancini balls topped with Bertolli® Rustic Cut™ Roasted Garlic Marinara with Garden Vegetables Sauce , mini Meatballs topped with Bertolli Rustic Cut Pasta Sauce Marinara, and dates wrapped with prosciutto. These all were very delicious. Now let’s get to dinner.

For starters we enjoyed a Tuscan salad and rustic bread topped with Bertolli® Rustic Cut™ Pasta Sauces with a Pinot Grigio. The main course was a family style Roastes Branzino, Chicken Cacciatore made with Bertolli® Rustic Cut™ Pasta Sauce Sweet Peppers and Portobello Mushroom (delicious), Cavatelli tossed in Bertolli® Rustic Cut™ Pasta Sauce Roasted Garlic, mushrooms and heirloom tomatoes topped with Parmesan cheese (I could have eaten the whole bowl, haha) and finally for the table was a creamy marscapone and Parmesan polenta with Bertolli® Rustic Cut™ Pasta Sauce Spicy Marinara. The wines paired for dinner were Chianti and Chardonnay.

After a fabulous dinner of course we needed dessert, so we had fresh berries and tiramisu.

The event was fantastic.  I met so many amazing people and learned a little more about the brand Bertolli and about founder Francesco Bertolli and his love for simply cooked meals.  They use quality ingredients and olive oil to lock in flavors.

Below I wanted to share a recipe with you guys using Bertolli Rustic Cut Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce.

This is a great little appetizer or a side for a main dish. Its round little polenta topped with roasted garlic sauce, sautéed wild mushrooms, Parmesan cheese and basil. The perfect bite.

What I absolutely love about the new Bertolli Rustic Cut Pasta Sauces is it contains NO additives like artificial colors, artificial flavors and added sugar. This is key when feeding my family. I always read the label.

Also this month Bertolli is launching the Bravo Rewards program, rewarding you with an opportunity to receive a custom, ceramic spoon rest when you purchase two or more jars of any Bertolli Pasta Sauce in one trip to the store, and post a photo of the receipt on bertolli.com/bravo. Eating a delicious sauce and getting a chance to win a little gift sounds like a plan to me.

Round Polenta Bites with Bertolli Rustic Cut Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce recipe

Ingredients:

1 store bought ready-made polenta roll (about 8oz)
1 jar Bertolli Rustic Cut Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce
1 lb Wild mushrooms, chopped
1 Garlic glove, minced
1 sprig of thyme
1 teaspoon evoo
Salt & pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese
6-8 Basil leaves, chiffonade for garnish

Preparation:

On medium to high heat add evoo, thyme and mushrooms, sauté for about 5 minutes. Next season with S&P cook for another 3 minutes. Set aside.

Cut the store bought polenta into round bites. Top with Bertolli Rustic Cut Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce, sautéed mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. Place in the oven at 375 F degrees for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven top with Basil and serve.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bertolli® Rustic Cut™ Pasta Sauces.