This is an easy dish to make if you have ready-cooked beetroot. You can use the cooked beetroot sold in the supermarket (not pickled). The magical transformation of plain pasta to a dramatic pinky red is great fun. You can use any shape of pasta you like. I used giant Paccheri Rigati because it happened to be what I had to hand.
Ingredients (serves 2)
150g - 200g pasta
60g finely chopped cooked spinach*
100g ricotta cheese
Nutmeg
75g cooked red beetroot
3 baby tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Salt to taste
Parmesan to serve (optional)**
*cooked weight
**if serving to vegetarians omit the Parmesan or use a vegetarian substitute.
Method
Ingredients (serves 2)
150g - 200g pasta
60g finely chopped cooked spinach*
100g ricotta cheese
Nutmeg
75g cooked red beetroot
3 baby tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp chilli powder
Salt to taste
Parmesan to serve (optional)**
*cooked weight
**if serving to vegetarians omit the Parmesan or use a vegetarian substitute.
Method
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until ‘al dente’.
- Whilst the pasta is cooking, mix together the spinach & ricotta.
- Add a good grating of nutmeg and salt to taste. Set aside.
- Chop the beetroot into chunks and halve the tomatoes. Place in a blender with the olive oil, chilli and a little water.
- Blend to a smooth paste and add salt to taste.
- Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Add the sauce, turning it carefully to ensure all the pasta is coated.
- Leave to stand for a few minutes and then add the ricotta spinach mixture (in small clumps), turning gently.
- Sprinkle with grated Parmesan, if desired.
