Spaghetti with Beet Pesto and Ricotta
Prep Time Minutes 10
Cook Time 1 Hour
Passive Time
Servings People
| Prep Time Minutes 10 | Cook Time 1 Hour | Passive Time | Servings People |
If you want a pasta dish that is a little off the beaten path and beautiful, this is the one! The pasta turns bright purple from the beets and the white ricotta on top creates a bright contrast. I’m calling this a pesto, but it has a very different flavor profile from your standard basil/garlic/pine nut pesto. The beets and walnuts, along with the sundried tomatoes create an earthy depth of flavor – but don’t leave out the ricotta on top. It really rounds out the dish with a creaminess that pulls it all together.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Red beets about 4-5 medium sized beets, greens removed
- Salt
- 1 Cup Walnuts
- 5 Sun Dried Tomatoes in oil
- 1 TBS Oil from the sundried tomatoes
- 1/4 cup Olive oil plus more for drizzling
- Pinch Red pepper flakes
- Lemon zest from one lemon
- 16 ounces Spaghetti I use whole wheat
- 1-2 Cups Ricotta
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Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 400.
- Place the beets in a pyrex baking dish with one inch water and cover with foil. Cook for 1- or 1 ½ hours or until tender. When the beets are cool enough, peel and rough chop.(I like to peel these using a paper towel to rub off the skin)
- Place the beets, walnuts, and sun dried tomatoes in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the olive oil and the sun dried tomato oil. Pulse for 30 seconds to emulsify. Add salt, red-pepper flakes and lemon zest and pulse a few times. Make sure to add enough salt, as this will be important in giving the pesto flavor.
- Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 -2 cups water, and return to pot.
- To serve, toss with past with the beet pesto, adding pasta water until slightly creamy. Place a heaping spoonful of ricotta on top and a drizzle of oil, and extra red-pepper flakes.
