https://calgaryavansino.com/recipes/pasta-beets-chard/
Ingredients
- 4 large raw beetroot (mix up the colours if you can), scrubbed but not peeled
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 6 medium stalks Swiss chard
- 125ml vegetable stock
- 450g gluten-free fusilli or farfalle pasta (or another shape if you prefer)
- 1 handful of basil leaves, torn
- 70g Parmesan, finely grated
- salt and pepper
- 4 large raw beetroot (mix up the colours if you can), scrubbed but not peeled
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 6 medium stalks Swiss chard
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 5 cups gluten-free fusilli or farfalle pasta (or another shape if you prefer)
- 1 handful of basil leaves, torn
- 1 cup Parmesan, finely grated
- salt and pepper
This recipe is one my Italian dad taught me so it always brings back fond memories whenever I make it. He is a master of transforming an ordinary plate of pasta into something not only special but also bursting with nutritional goodness. The beetroot’s colour bleeds into the pasta, making this whole dish a jewelled beauty that is packed with plant power.
Steam the beetroot until al dente, about 40-50 minutes. Cool and then skin them, before chopping into 1cm (1/2 inch) cubes. Set aside.
Pour the olive oil into a large pan set over a medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly browned and the flavour is infused in the oil, then discard the garlic.
Add the onion and sauté until lightly browned and soft – about 10 minutes. Add the parsley and stir for a minute.
Cut the stalks of the chard into 1cm (1/2-inch) pieces and the leaves into slices 2cm-2.5cm (3/4 inch-1-inch) wide. Add all the chard to the pan and let it cook and wilt down, about 3-4 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes. Stir the cooked beetroot into the pan.
In a separate pan, cook the pasta as indicated on the packet, until al dente. Set aside a few tablespoons of the pasta water before draining.
Add the basil and half the Parmesan to the beetroot mixture, and toss well, then add the drained farfalle and 1-2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and toss again, so the flavours are infused. Taste for seasoning. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top and serve.
Recipe extracted from Keep It Real by Calgary Avansino (Yellow Kite). Photograph by Kristin Perers.
