Double-Beet Pasta
This recipe calls for the whole beet-- green, stalk, & bulb-- to be steamed and whipped into a bright purple pesto. The whole wheat pasta is tossed in the sauce, and then snuggled around a steamed egg.
Separate the beets from the greens if they are not already. Trim the raw beet- cut off top and bottom and using a paring knife, then cut away the ski-- and then chop into chunks. They do not need to be exact cubes (they'll eventually be pureed), but try to make them roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
If you have a steamer pot, use it for this step. If not, you can do it all in the pot where you'll eventually cook the pasta. Add a cup of water to the bottom portion of your steamer pot and add the beet chunks to the top section. Steam the beets until easily pierced (less than 5 min.) Add the beets to your food processor or blender.
Into a food processor, pulse/chop the greens (if you're using kale, remove the center rib first), the steamed beets, and the minced garlic. Once they're pulverized, pulse in the nuts and cheese. Turn the processor to low, and in a constant thin stream, drizzle in the oil. Taste, and add salt, pepper and more oil if needed. Some lemon juice will brighten it all up if it needs a bite.
You're all done with the steamer basket, but don't toss the pink water! Add some extra (about a quart) and a generous pinch or salt. Bring back up to a boil to use for cooking the pasta. If you're using fresh pasta, wait to cook it until just before you're ready to serve.
Following the directions, cook your pasta, then drain. Put the noodles back into the warm pan and about a 1/3-1/2 cup pesto. If the pan is too dry, add a splash of water, bring over medium heat and toss in the sauce. Crack and pour in (keeping separate if possible) as many eggs on as you have servings, turn the heat to low and cover. Check after 2 minutes, and then turn off the heat but keep covered to steam the egg the rest of the way. You want the white to be fully cooked but the yolk to stay a little runny.
Ladle out portions of pasta topped with a steamy egg. Grate cheese a little extra cheese and some black pepper and serve right away.
Ingredients
Directions
Separate the beets from the greens if they are not already. Trim the raw beet- cut off top and bottom and using a paring knife, then cut away the ski-- and then chop into chunks. They do not need to be exact cubes (they'll eventually be pureed), but try to make them roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
If you have a steamer pot, use it for this step. If not, you can do it all in the pot where you'll eventually cook the pasta. Add a cup of water to the bottom portion of your steamer pot and add the beet chunks to the top section. Steam the beets until easily pierced (less than 5 min.) Add the beets to your food processor or blender.
Into a food processor, pulse/chop the greens (if you're using kale, remove the center rib first), the steamed beets, and the minced garlic. Once they're pulverized, pulse in the nuts and cheese. Turn the processor to low, and in a constant thin stream, drizzle in the oil. Taste, and add salt, pepper and more oil if needed. Some lemon juice will brighten it all up if it needs a bite.
You're all done with the steamer basket, but don't toss the pink water! Add some extra (about a quart) and a generous pinch or salt. Bring back up to a boil to use for cooking the pasta. If you're using fresh pasta, wait to cook it until just before you're ready to serve.
Following the directions, cook your pasta, then drain. Put the noodles back into the warm pan and about a 1/3-1/2 cup pesto. If the pan is too dry, add a splash of water, bring over medium heat and toss in the sauce. Crack and pour in (keeping separate if possible) as many eggs on as you have servings, turn the heat to low and cover. Check after 2 minutes, and then turn off the heat but keep covered to steam the egg the rest of the way. You want the white to be fully cooked but the yolk to stay a little runny.
Ladle out portions of pasta topped with a steamy egg. Grate cheese a little extra cheese and some black pepper and serve right away.