Recipes
Plan
Servings
4
(Original: 4)- 1 pound beet, red or orange
- 1 head garlic
- 1 lemon, for juice and zest
- 3 ounce parmesan, grated
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 16 ounce short rigatoni pasta
- 0.25 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- Roast: Preheat the oven to 425°F convection or 450°F standard. Wash and peel the beets (1 pound), then chop them into 1-inch cubes. Cut the top off a head of garlic (1 head). Place the beets and garlic on foil, drizzle the garlic with a little olive oil, and wrap tightly. Roast for until the beets are tender.
- Prep & Water: Set a large pot of salted water to boil. While it heats, zest the lemon (1) and halve it. Grate the parmesan (3 ounces).
- Blend: Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into a blender. Add the roasted beets, lemon zest, grated parmesan, and a few tablespoons of water. Blend until smooth.
- Cook Pasta: Once the pot of water is boiling, cook the rigatoni pasta (16 ounces) until al dente, about . Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Assemble: Return the hot pasta to the pot. Pour in the olive oil (1/4 cup), dried basil (1 teaspoon), lemon juice to taste, and the blended beet sauce. Mix until smooth, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a creamy coating. Season with salt to taste and serve warm.