This started out as a simple idea to get vibrant pink-coated pasta, but ended up an incredibly beautiful dinner! Use your favourite pasta – wholemeal for a healthier version.
Wash the beetroot and remove any dirt and blemishes, then roughly chop into bite-size pieces and put them on a baking tray. Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt and drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake for 20–30 minutes, or until they are well roasted and slightly charred around the edges.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil, then add 1 tablespoon of salt and the pasta and cook as per the packet instructions.
Put the pine nuts into a dry frying-pan on a high heat and cook for 5minutes, stirring regularly until golden. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Drain and rinse the pasta, keeping the pasta water. Put the peas into abowl, pour over the pasta water and leave them sit for 5 minutes. Thendrain and rinse.
Peel and chop the garlic and put it into a food processor with the cookedbeets, balsamic vinegar, 150ml of oil and 1 teaspoon of salt, then blenduntil smooth. Add the pine nuts and pulse so they are broken up, but stilla little chunky to give some nice texture.
To bring the dish together, put the cooked pasta into a large pan and addhalf the beetroot pesto, half the peas and the rocket. Fold together andwarm on a medium heat for 2–3 minutes, stirring regularly. Keep the restof the pesto for another pasta dish or to use as a fabulous sandwichspread.
Divide between 4 bowls and serve with the remaining peas scattered ontop.
Notes
Any spare pesto, just keep it for a sandwich spread, which will last for a week in the fridge. You can use ready-cooked beetroot, but the colour will be less vibrant.
