Looking for a warm winter recipe? You can't beet this vibrant, creamy pasta! This recipe was prepared and shared in our Food Demo program this winter to highlight the creative and tasty things we can do with winter produce, like root vegetables!
Makes: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
230 grams of beet (approx. 3 medium-sized beets)
3 cloves of garlic
1 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh thyme)
1 orange
450 grams of pasta
1/2 pound of ground beef
1 onion
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 cup cottage cheese
3/4 cup grated parmesan
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
5 tbsp oil
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel and chop beets into quarters, add to a small baking dish with the garlic, thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1 wide orange peel zest from the orange. Toss together with 1 tbsp of oil, cover pan with tin foil, sealing the edges. Bake for 30 minutes, or until beets are fork tender.
2. In the meantime, zest the rest of the orange and then juice. Set both aside. Dice onion and grate parmesan.
3. Heat a large pot of salted water over high heat. When boiling, add pasta and cook according to package instructions, until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water and set aside. Rinse pasta in cold water and return to the pot off heat.
4. In a large pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add ground beef and onions. Cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until no pink remains and onions are softened. Add in peas, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1/4 tsp of pepper. Stir together and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. To make the sauce: To a blender, add the cooked beets and garlic cloves, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, the juice from the orange, red wine vinegar, 1 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp of pepper, 3 tbsp of oil, and 1/2 of cup of the reserved pasta water. Blend until smooth.
6. Add beef mixture to the pot with the cooked pasta, then add the blended beet sauce and stir to combine. If the beef and pasta have cooled, heat gently over low heat, while stirring frequently, for a few minutes until re-warmed. A splash or two more of pasta water can be added to thin sauce if needed. Serve with desired garnishes and enjoy.
If you want to share photos of your cooking or have any questions please feel free to get in touch with Marlee at mlacourciere@thenorthgrove.ca.
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