If someone asks me out for dinner they always start with; “I know this amazing little Italian place that’s so authentic…”
Now, I’m not being funny, and I LOVE going out for dinner – but Italian food for me is the norm (which has now been passed onto my housemates too) and unless this pizza/pasta is utterly spectacular, I’m not going to want to pay through the nose at “Bella Pasta” for some half hearted garlic bread and “spag bol.” (I want to banish whoever started calling it that.)
Tourists come to London constantly and ask me “Where can we go to get authentic British food??” And I always think, “Someone’s house?” I mean, chances are, if you can make a beautiful roast at home then you’re not going to pay £40 for someone else to cook you exactly the same meal.. am I right?
Saying this, I’m always on the lookout for interesting Italian recipes, that can easily be infused with a British idea that you wouldn’t find in your generic, high street chain Italian joint. And this is certainly one of them.
Beetroot, for me, brings back memories of my mum eating it with EVERYTHING. Plus side to beetroot; it tastes great. Downside; It. Stains. Everything… LITERALLY EVERYTHING. My hands, hair, clothes, table and pasta machine were all a wonderful pink colour after making this. God wasn’t messing around when He created this vegetable. It’s like a weapon.
Pulsing the beetroot to make a paste and adding it into pasta dough makes it this gorgeous colour. No need for food colouring, no need for anything fake in fact, and not only does it look beautiful (the pasta goes a gorgeous dusky pink when cooked) but it tastes great too. Cooking the pasta in salt water really makes the flavour come alive.
Sauce wise, I just crushed some olives, pistachios and garlic with some amazing Tuscan olive oil and went from there. Let’s just say the stuff I’d just put in the fridge to “save” came out straight away…
Ingredients Needed:
I went by this fresh pasta recipe
Method