Most of us have one of those "secret family recipes" that took root somewhere under our family tree. In the case of the founders of Rising Moon Organics, it all began with Madame Giudici, the fabled gypsy foremother who was keen to make the nobility’s bellies dance before she belly-danced in their courts. Generations later, she’s still inspiring. Her descendants have packaged the fruits of her pasta recipes, but don’t let the Oregon-based company’s emergence in freezer sections nationwide fool you into believing that the founders are exploiting their ancestry. With witty anecdotes of great uncles with colossal appetites and rousing quotes from Margaret Mead, Henry David Thoreau, and others, each package of organic (and low-fat) ravioli and gnocchi is a tribute to the joy of eating, and testifies to the company’s commitment to both a no-additives, grassroots mentality and, of course, family.

That tribute is sustained by the cuisine in the container. In less than 10 minutes, you can boil up fluffy, fragrant ravioli that whisk you off to Northern Italy. With varieties like wild chanterelle mushroom, garlic gorgonzola, and feta hazelnut with butternut squash (our personal favorite for its rich autumnal flavors), you’ll want to join in what Rising Moon refers to as its "ravioli revolution." And at $3.59, there’s little better reason to pledge your loyalty to the cause.

Available at Harvest Coop stores for $3.59 for an eight-ounce package.