For Valentines: Beet Pasta with Ricotta

This recipe is dead simple, and looks very, very cool. The most complex part of this recipe is using the food processor. I did not even break out a cutting board for this, though I did end up using one pot and one cookie sheet, in addition to the food processor.

The beets add an amazingly earthy and somewhat sweet flavor to the pasta. It is very unusual, but very, very tasty. The original recipe that I cribbed from used walnuts, but I decided to use almonds instead, both because I do not really care for walnuts, and we did not have any. Also, the recipe called for 1 tablespoon chopped tomato. Really? That is like, a tablespoon! Not enough. I used 3 heaping spoonfuls of a marinara sauce, and I really liked the results. This dish turned out to be quite beautiful, and equally delicious. 

I was fairly sure that this recipe is in the newest issue of Whole Living, but I cannot seem to find it online. Regardless, I will just give you my recipe, and try to find a link later. Stay tuned!

Beet Pasta with Ricotta

1 package spaghetti-style pasta (I used wheat with omega-3 added to it)
4 beets
1 head garlic, top trimmed
3 heaping spoonfuls of good quality marinara sauce
1/4 cup toasted almonds
Red pepper flakes for seasoning
Ricotta for dolloping
Great olive oil for finishing

Preheat the oven to 425F

Which looks better, mine or the magazine?

Scrub up and trim the beets. Dry them off, and season liberally with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil, as well as the head of garlic. Wrap both the beets as well as the garlic in foil (separately).

Cook for one hour. Probably check in on them at 30 minutes, just to be sure they are cooking alright.

Take the beets and garlic out, and let cool. Start a pot of water for the pasta.

Once the beets and garlic head are cool enough to handle, split the beets into quarters, and set in your food processor. Add 3 heaping spoonfuls of marinara and almonds. Pinch the garlic head to remove the garlic cloves from the papery wrappings. Add 3 or 4 garlic cloves to the food processor. Blitz the mixture until slightly lumpy. You want to end up with a good texture, not a puree.

Cook the pasta according to directions. Drain, yet reserve a quarter cup or so of the pasta water. Add the beet mixture into the reserved water, and blend until smooth. Toss the pasta in, and stir around. The pasta should instantly change color.

Plate the pasta, and top with a dollop of ricotta, drizzle good quality olive oil over it, and dash a little red pepper flakes over the top.