IN CASE YOU DID NOT know, homemade sourdough bread is so April 2020. The latest rage, at least based on the scanning of my news and social media, is beet pasta. If it’s any consolation, I just found out myself.
The good news is, that you can whip this savory dish up in, well, a heartbeat.
AND, EVEN BETTER NEWS: you do not need semolina wheat. Plain old bread flour will do nicely.
I based my recipe on this one from Serious Eats, but instead of boiling the beets, I roasted them with herbs and a little garlic. (I don’t remember how long; just ensure that they are tender enough to pierce with a fork.)
The dough is straightforward: 10 ounces of all-purpose flour, 5 egg yolks, 1 whole egg, and 4 tablespoons of beet purée, per the aforementioned recipe.
I have been very pleased with our Cestari pasta machine. I don’t see that it is available any more on Amazon or eBay. My experience with the inexpensive hand-cranked models (around $50 or so) has generally been positive. They do the job. What I love about the Cestari model is that it attaches to the counter with a suction cup. Most of the inexpensive models require a C-clamp, which I find cumbersome and ineffective at best.
One other thing: Don’t throw out the beet greens. Sautée them with some olive oil, garlic and onions and serve as a side-dish!
1. Roast the beats with a bit of olive oil and spices of your choice.
2. Puree the beets into a paste.
3. Mix the eggs, flour and beets.
4. Roll out the dough into strips
5. Feed the dough through your pasta maker
6. Sautée beet greens with onions and garlic and oil
7. Boil the pasta for 8-10 minutes, depending on your desired texture.
Good luck and let us know what you think!
Sherry & George 