I told you I was obsessed with beetroot, so you didn’t think you could get away without another beetroot recipe did you? They may not be in season just yet, but I’m not letting that minor fact get in my way (especially when they’re still in Sainsbury’s!) and have been sticking those little magenta globes in just about everything.
If beetroot’s slow release energy, masses of vitamin C, folic acid, iron, beta carotene and potassium have not converted you so far, then hopefully this recipe will. Alongside red pepper, garlic and onion, the sweet beetroot cuts through the acidity of the tomato sauce, the richness of the meat and perfectly balances the hotness of the chili. Served up on a bed of pasta, this is wonderful twist on a simple Bolognese style dish that is bursting with flavour and goodness.
Ingredients (serves 4)
500g lean beef steak mince (would also be nice with lamb)
1 400g can of chopped tomatoes
200mls pasatta
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
2 pinches of dried chili flakes
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 medium raw beetroots, peeled and chopped into small chunks
200g penne
100mls red wine
1 teaspoon of Tabasco
Olive oil
1 bay leaf
Salt/pepper
1 bag of rocket to serve
Directions
Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a flame proof casserole dish. Throw in the beetroot, pepper, garlic, bay leaf and onion and gently sweat on a low heat for 5-10mins until softened.
Remove the mince from the packet and take small pinches of meat and squish them into rough balls about the size of a chocolate truffle. Throw them in the pan as you go.
Stir into the beetroot mixture not worrying too much about keeping the meatballs too much in tact; this dish is nice when they are somewhere between a proper meatball and ground mince. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5mins until the mince is browned lightly.
Add wine and bring to a vigorous boil. After a couple of mins, add the tomatoes and pasatta and cover the pan with a lid. Leave to cook on a low heat while you cook the pasta (according to packet instructions), stirring occasionally.
Remove the bay leaf, and ladle the meaty, beetrootey sauce onto the pasta, with a nice big handful of rocket on the side.
Image via Taste.Au