Cavatelli With Brown Butter Beets, Ricotta and Pistachios
This recipe is by Melissa Clark and takes 40 minutes . Tell us what you think of it at The New York Times - Dining - Food.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 1 ½cups whole milk ricotta
- ¼teaspoon finely grated orange zest, more to taste
- 1 ½teaspoons chopped fresh sage
- 1 ¼teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
- ½teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
- 6tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ½pounds beets, peeled and finely grated in a food processor
- 1 ½teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- ¾pound fresh or dried cavatelli
- ½cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ¼cup chopped pistachios
Instructions
Step 1
In a small bowl, combine ricotta, orange zest and sage. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.Step 2
In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, melt 5 tablespoons of butter. Cook until foam subsides and butter is a deep hazelnut color, about 5 minutes. (Watch carefully to see that it doesn’t burn.) Stir in beets and season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until beets are very tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.Step 3
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook cavatelli until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup cooking liquid.Step 4
Transfer pasta to a large warmed serving bowl. Toss with remaining 1 tablespoon butter, the grated cheese and most of the reserved liquid. Toss well; add remaining cooking liquid if necessary to reach a creamy consistency. Stir in beet mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Dollop spoonfuls of seasoned ricotta on top of pasta and sprinkle with pistachios and cracked black pepper.