Penne Pasta in Roasted Beet Sauce

Penne Pasta in Roasted Beet Sauce

When I was visiting my sister and nephews (ages 5 and 7), she warned me that the youngest was in a very picky phase. If he didn’t have any say, you might have a revolt.  So somehow, not only did I get Hunter (5) to eat it, but I also had him love it!  This is kid friendly because the color is so much fun, and boys loved getting to have cheese on top.

Hunter (5) and my sister with their pasta

Anderson (on the right) and Mousa (the skeptic) even ate it all!

Ingredients:

1 pound red beets, cleaned

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup water

1 pound pasta

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup pasta water

1/4 pound cheese (ex: goat cheese, crème fresh, ricotta, etc.)

Directions:

To Prepare Beets: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wrap cleaned  beets in tin foil. Bake until a fork or sharp object easily passes through the beets, about 1 hour. Let cool.

Peel the beets (using a paper towel) and cut into chunks. Using a food processor, puree beets.

Begin the remainder of the dish: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions.

Add the butter to a 10-inch skillet. Turn on the heat to high. Brown the butter (about 2 minutes.)

Add the pureed beets, salt, and the 1/4 cup pasta water to the skillet. Stir to fully incorporate.

Combine drained pasta with cooked, pureed beets. 

Divide the pasta into equal portions and top with cheese and fresh parsley.

Original Recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Farro-Spaghetti-Beets-Brown-Butter-Poppy-Seeds-356629