This is a great vegetarian pasta that uses the beets and the greens in one tasty dish.
- 1 lb pasta
- 4 golden beets and their greens
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan or pecorino
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Begin by removing the greens from the beets and scrubbing the bulbs. Wrap the bulbs in foil and roast in a 400 degree oven until you can easily pierce with a knife (40 minutes to an hour). Then remove the stems from the greens and rinse the greens very well. Split each large leaf down the center and stack all the leaves together and roll them up, so that you can cut them into 1/4 inch ribbons. Sauté the beet greens in a drizzle of olive oil with salt and pepper and set aside. Then chop the almonds into small pieces (you can pulse in a food processor, but don’t make it dust). Then sauté with a tsp of butter and a sprinkle of salt until golden and fragrant. Set almonds aside.
Once the beets are done roasting. Remove the skins with a paper towel and chop into 1/2 inch chunks. Add the chunks to your skillet with your remaining butter, salt and pepper. Sauté until the beets take on a slight caramelization.
Cook your pasta in well-salted water, until al dente, strain.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare your cream sauce, add cream, a smashed garlic clove, salt and pepper to your skillet. Warm over low heat to reduce and soften the garlic. Once soft you can remove the garlic and discard. Add your shredded cheese to the sauce and stir until melted in.
Finally, add the sauce, the sauteed greens, the caramelized beets and any residual butter to the cooked and drained pasta, and mix gently to incorporate. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve and garnish with butter toasted almonds, more shredded cheese and red pepper flakes if desired.
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