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.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups whole milk ricotta
• 0.25 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, more to taste
• 1.5 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
• 1.25 teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1.5 pounds beets, peeled and finely grated in a food processor
• 1.5 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 0.75 pound fresh or dried cavatelli
• 0.5 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 0.25 cup chopped pistachios

Steps

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.
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.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook cavatelli until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup cooking liquid.
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.