Ingredients
- 600g fresh beetroot (about 4 medium), scrubbed, trimmed and cut into small dice (no need to peel)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 160 ml (2/3 cup) vegetable stock
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) soy milk (or your choice of milk)
- 1 tsp sugar
- Hot cooked pasta, to serve
- Walnuts, watercress leaves and feta cheese (optional, leave cheese out to make dish vegan), to garnish
Roasted beetroot pasta sauce
Method
Heat the oven to 200°C. Put the diced beetroot onto a roasting tray and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the thyme sprigs and garlic cloves and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 30-40 minutes until very tender. Discard the thyme sprigs.
Place the beetroot into the bowl of a food processor or powerful blender. Push the garlic out of the skins and put that into the food processor too. Add the vinegar and remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and process until a smooth paste forms. Add a splash or two of water if your device is having problems making it into a paste.
Place the beetroot paste into a medium saucepan and add the stock, soy milk and sugar. Bring to a simmer then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Toss through hot pasta and garnish with walnuts, watercress leaves and feta.
Submitted byChristie Connelly
Tips and Tricks
Beetroot leaves needn’t be thrown out – they are edible and make a delicious addition to salads and other recipes. They may be eaten either raw or cooked.
Freeze and preserve chopped herbs in icecube trays. The herbs will infuse the oil while freezing, and the ice cubes are very handy for cooking: just pop one out and use as the base of a dish. Works best with rosemary, sage, thyme, and oregano. Dill, basil, and mint should always be used fresh.
Because of their high oil content, nuts may easily go rancid if not properly stored. Walnuts will last 6 months in the pantry in a tightly closed container, but are better stored in the fridge where they will last at least a year.
