Beet Pasta Recipes

HOW TO MAKE BEET PASTA (PINK PASTA RECIPE)

Steps:

• If you bought beetroot juice, then skip this step. Otherwise, chop the beetroot into small enough pieces to fit your juicer chute and juice it.
• Add the flour to your clean working surface, create a well in the center, and then add the beet juice and oil to the center of the well.Make sure not to do this on a surface that stains easily, as beetroot juice can (and will) stain! Alternatively, you can mix the ingredients in a bowl.
• Use a fork or small spatula to mix from the center outwards, incorporating the ingredients into a 'shaggy' dough.
• Use your hands to knead the dough until smooth. This will take around 10 minutes.You could alternatively do this process in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Start on the lowest setting and increase once it reaches shaggy dough. Mix until the dough is smooth ad supple.
• If the pink pasta dough is a little too wet (i.e., it sticks to your hand a lot), then add a little more flour (just a tsp at a time). Then knead until smooth.It's okay if it's slightly 'tacky', though, as the juice will take some time to absorb into the dough properly. However, if it's still a little sticky after resting (next step), then you'll need to add a little more flour.
• Wrap the pink pasta dough in plastic wrap tightly and allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator. During this time, the gluten will relax - ready for when you roll and shape the dough. If it isn't ready, then the dough will spring back into shape.
• Once the beet pasta dough is rested, it's time to divide it into more manageable pieces. I tend to separate mine into four pieces. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper to cut the dough ball into rough quarters.Working on one section at a time, cover the remaining pieces with clingfilm to stop them from drying out.
• Roll out the pasta dough. You can do this by hand or using a pasta machine. If you want to make pasta shapes like penne or spaghetti noodles, you can even skip the rolling altogether and use a pasta extruder.
• Dust the surface with semolina or flour and then. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to around 2-3mm. If the dough starts to stick to the rolling pin, dust the dough's surface with more semolina/flour.
• Once rolled out, sprinkle the beet pasta with a little more semolina/flour and then cut to your desired shape; lasagna sheets, bows, ravioli, or noodles like fettuccine, ribbons, pappardelle, etc.
• To hand cut the noodles, loosely roll the pasta dough, trim the ends, and then use a sharp knife to chop the noodles to your desired width. Once cut, toss with a little more flour/semolina, so the noodles don't stick together.Store any cut pasta under a clean kitchen towel and repeat this step with the remaining dough portions.
• Using one section of the beetroot pasta dough at a time, flatten it just enough to fit the widest setting of your pasta machine - sprinkle generously with semolina/flour.
• Feed the beet dough through the machine, fold it like a letter, and re-feed it through the machine a further three times.
• Continue to feed the dough through the machine, working your way through the settings one at a time until you reach the desired dough thickness. Make sure to sprinkle the dough with flour/semolina well, to stop it from sticking to the machine.
• Once the beet pasta dough is rolled out, you can use your pasta machine attachments (such as beet spaghetti/noodles) or cut the shapes by hand. Then repeat with the remaining dough.
• After you've rolled and shaped all the dough, you can either cook the beet pasta immediately or dry it to store for later (read below).To cook the beet pasta, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then carefully add the beetroot pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. This may take slightly less/longer based on how thick the pasta is and for ravioli.If you're cooking the pasta from frozen or dried, you'll need to add an extra 1-3 minutes. Once ready, drain and serve with the sauce of your choice! This time, I used homemade pesto. Herby butter and sauces with cheese also work particularly well with beet pasta.
• To dry: to dry the pink noodles, you can form them into nests and dry them either in a dehydrator or at room temperature for several hours (or longer, depending on the humidity and temperature). They are ready when the pasta 'snaps' rather than bends. Once dry, you can store it for several months in an airtight container.Fridge: store the pasta in an airtight container, sprinkled with lots of flour to avoid sticking, and use it within two days. The sooner, the better!Freeze: you can freeze the pasta all together or form it into "nests"/individual portions (my preferred choice). Make sure to sprinkle with extra flour. If you form into nests, then allow them to freeze on a tray before storing them in an airtight container for 2-3 months. You can freeze dry pasta for up to 6 months.

BEET PASTA RECIPE

Steps:

• Cook the pasta according to package directions in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
• Meanwhile, whisk the olive oil and lemon juice together in a small bowl.
• Once pasta is cooked, drain, but reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Toss the pasta with the lemon/oil sauce.
• Optional - Add the reserved cooking liquid 1/4 cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. I actually didn't need any when I served this right away, but as time goes on, it will dry out, so moisten it with the pasta water as needed. :)
• Gently stir in arugula, lemon zest, goat cheese, and season with salt and pepper.
• Garnish with pine nuts.

BEET PASTA

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Whisk together the 00 flour and the semolina flour on a cutting board or in a shallow bowl.
• Puree the beets in your food processor with the 2 tablespoons of water until completely smooth.
• Make a well in the flour and add the pureed beets and the egg yolks into the well.
• Whisk the pureed beets and egg yolks into the flour with a fork to form a shaggy dough.
• Knead the dough until it becomes a smooth ball. You can do this in a stand mixer with a dough hook or by hand. It will take a few minutes.
• Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
• Portion the dough into 8 sections. Flour a clean surface. Roll out each section of the dough with a rolling pin or in a pasta roller until you have a long, thin sheets.
• Cut the dough with a sharp knife or pasta cutter into fettuccine like ribbons.
• Boil a large pot of salted water and add in the pasta in batches. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes or until al dente . Keep warm while you prepare the sauce.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Heat the oil over high heat in a small sauté pan to about 350 F. Add in the shallots and cook until crispy. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add the butter and walnuts to a large saute pan. Sauté on medium heat until the butter begins to brown.
• Add the maple syrup to the pan and cook on medium heat until the sauce is bubbling.
• Add in the spinach and salt and pepper and sauté until the spinach is just wilted.
• Add in the cooked pasta and toss to coat.
• Top with the crispy shallots, crumbled goat cheese, and chopped basil. Serve immediately.

SAUTéED BEETS WITH PASTA, SAGE AND BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Put butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Heat butter until it turns nutty brown, then add the beets and sage leaves.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beets are tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add some cooked pasta and toss. Garnish with Parmesan.

FRESH BEET PASTA DOUGH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss beets with oil and a large pinch of salt. Wrap tightly in a parchment-lined piece of foil, and place on a baking sheet. Roast until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool. Rub beets with paper towels to remove skins. Puree in a food processor (you should have 1/2 cup puree).
• Add eggs and yolk to puree in food processor, and process until combined. Add flour and 1 heaping teaspoon salt, and process until dough just comes together, about 20 seconds.
• Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes, adding up to 2 tablespoons flour if dough is sticky. Place on a piece of parchment and cover with an inverted bowl, or wrap tightly in plastic; let rest for 1 to 2 hours.
• Cut dough into 8 pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time (keep the remaining pieces covered with the inverted bowl), flatten dough into an oblong shape slightly thinner than the pasta machine's widest setting (number 1). Dust dough very lightly with flour, and feed through machine. Fold lengthwise into thirds and rotate 90 degrees. Repeat twice on same setting to smooth dough and increase its elasticity.
• Turn the dial to next narrower setting. Pass dough through twice, gently supporting it with your palm. Continue to press dough, passing it through ever-finer settings, two passes on each setting, until sheet is almost translucent and very thin but still intact (number 5 of 8 on a KitchenAid pasta roller). The dough will stretch to about 16 inches long. If dough bubbles or tears, pass it through again, and dust with flour if the dough is sticking.
• For farfalle, lasagna squares, or ravioli: Place rolled sheet on a lightly floured surface, and cut into desired shape, using a dry brush to dust flour off if needed. Cook according to corresponding recipe. For ribbon pastas: Place dough on a drying rack until slightly tacky, 10 to 15 minutes, and then cut into strands using a pasta machine, cutting attachment, or by hand. Drape over rack until strands are semidry and don't stick together, about 20 minutes. Cook immediately, or lay in a single layer on a baking sheet dusted with semolina, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

BEET PASTA WITH RICOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Drizzle beets with oil and season with salt. Wrap tightly in foil and roast until tender, 1 hour. Peel and chop once cool.
• Pulse beets, walnuts, and tomatoes in a food processor. Season with salt and red-pepper flakes.
• Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup water, and return to pot.
• Toss with beet mixture, adding pasta water until creamy. Serve with ricotta, a drizzle of oil, and red-pepper flakes.

ROASTED BEET PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl, toss beets with oil and salt to coat.
• Place on lined baking sheet and place in 400 degree oven for 1 hour.
• Remove and allow to cool (about 20 minutes).
• Peel beets under running water and cut into 1/4 inch dice.
• Then puree in food processor.
• To make pasta: Make a mound of the flour in the center of a large wooden cutting board.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs, beet puree and any other flavorings you choose.
• Using a fork, beat together the eggs, oil and flavorings and begin to incorporate the flour starting with the inner rim of the well.
• As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up to retain the well shape.
• Do not worry that this initial phase looks messy.
• The dough will come together when 1/2 of the flour is incorporated.
• Start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands primarily.
• Once you have a cohesive mass, remove the dough from the board and scrape up any left over crusty bits.
• Lightly flour the board and continue kneading for 3 more minutes.
• The dough should be elastic and a little sticky.
• Continue to knead for another 3 minutes, remembering to dust your board when necessary.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Note: do not skip the kneading or resting portion of this recipe, they are essential for a light pasta.
• Roll out to four 7 inch by 16 inch sheets and cut in whatever shape you wish.