Nothing Says I Love You Like Homemade (Beet) Pasta

I know what you are thinking:

1) There's NO way I can do this.  {Oh hush!  You CAN do this.  I'll walk you through each step with pictures below and a virtual cheering squad!}

2) Who has time to make pasta from scratch?  {Yep, it takes a little time (1 hr start to finish, shorter if you roast the beets in advance) but it's fun and the kids can help}

3) Why would I do this when I can get it at the store?  {Really?  You can get fresh pasta made with beets you picked up at the local farmers market??  No you can't!  The taste is amazing!}

This recipe makes enough to feed a family of four but not so much that you're stuck in the kitchen making pasta all day.  

Ingredients:

-2 Beets

-1/2 cup All Purpose Flour

-1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour

-1/2 teaspoon Salt

-1 Egg

-Olive or Corn Oil (for sauce)

-A couple fresh Basil Leaves (for garnish)

-Feta Cheese (for garnish)

1st step:  Roast the beets.  This can be done in advance.  Just store in fridge until ready to use.

Preheat oven or toaster oven to 450 degrees.  Drizzle with a little oil and start cooking.  Don't bother peeling them.  It's much easier to remove the skin after they are cooked and cooled.

*Here's a trick: microwave for 10 minutes, then pop in oven for another 15-20 minutes.  This cuts the cooking time in HALF!  You'll know they are done when you can poke a fork in them.

Drizzle with a little oil and pop in oven

Remove skin once cool to touch

Beautiful!

Step 2:  Make Beet Puree

Blend with hand immersion blender, food processor or a regular blender.  For this recipe we'll use 1/4 cup.  Save the rest as we'll use it to make the sauce!

  

Step 3:  Making the Pasta
Pour the flour + salt onto your counter or other space.  Make a little hole in the center with your fingers.  Then crack one egg into the 'well'.  Use a fork to gently mix the egg in the center while gradually working the flour into the liquid.  Once the egg and flour have been combined a bit, add the beet puree and mix until dough starts to come together.  Knead a couple times and then cut in half to make it easier to manage.

1) Make a well with your fingers

2) Crack egg into well

3) Mix from inside well first

4) Add beet puree once egg and flour combine a little 

5) Time to get your hands dirty!

6) Knead the dough until all ingredients combined.

7) Cut dough in half. Use only one half at a time.

Step 4: Shaping the Pasta

You don't need any fancy tools.  This is homemade--nobody is going to fault you if the noodles aren't all the same size (if they do, kick them out of your house!).  The key is going to be rolling the dough out SUPER THIN.  Put down enough flour on the counter or board so nothing sticks.  Then roll.  And when you think it looks thin--roll some more.  

to this.  Paper thin and floured up.

Go from this..

A little trick taught to me by my friend, Shelly Crawford (who took most of these lovely photos while I was cooking--she's so talented!) is to roll up the dough and then slice.  Better explained by the pic below.  

Isn't this cool?  Have the kids help you unroll them.

Once the strips are unrolled, let them hang out a bit to 'dry' while you get a pot of water boiling.  You don't need a fancy drying rack to hang them on (although if you want one, they range from $8-40).  Just let them sit on the counter or use the end of a long wooden spoon and balance it between 2 tall bottles or cans.  

To cook the noodles:
Boil for 3 minutes.  The noodles will usually rise to the top when cooked through.

Into the pot they go!

And out of the pot they come!

To make the sauce:

Every good pasta has something on it and this one is no different.  So here's my plan for keeping beet-i-ful flavor without adding a creamy unhealthy sauce:

-Mix a little oil into the remaining beet puree to thin it out.  Add salt/pepper to taste.  Either toss all the pasta in it or just add it to the top of each individual portion.  

-Top with a little feta cheese and chopped basil.

I hope you enjoy this little labor of love with your family!  Happy Valentine's Day! xoxo


Nutrition Facts (makes 4 servings)
1 cup loosely packed (pasta only): 130 Calories, 5.4 gms Protein, 24 gms Carbohydrate, 2.5 gms Fiber, 1.7 gms Total Fat, 0.5 gms Saturated Fat, Sodium 338 mg