Cavatelli With Brown Butter Beets, Ricotta and Pistachios
Updated Oct. 16, 2023
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1½cups whole milk ricotta
- ¼teaspoon finely grated orange zest, more to taste
- 1½teaspoons chopped fresh sage
- 1¼teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
- ½teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
- 6tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1½pounds beets, peeled and finely grated in a food processor
- 1½teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- ¾pound fresh or dried cavatelli
- ½cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ¼cup chopped pistachios
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
803 calories; 37 grams fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 90 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 29 grams protein; 928 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 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.
- Step 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 1¼ teaspoons salt and ½ 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.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook cavatelli until al dente. Drain, reserving ⅓ cup cooking liquid.
- Step 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.
Private Notes
Comments
I don't usually comment but this is such a wonderful dish - not hard to make, absolutely delicious and beautiful too. I've been making it for years and am surprised at the few commenters. Everybody should be making this - even people who don't like beets. I don't change a thing. The only difference from the first time I made it is that I now own a food processor and that makes grating the beets a lot easier and much less messy. Try it. You'll be glad you did.
Last night was our third time making this recipe and it doesn't cease to amaze: unique and delicious, and so visually arresting. The only thing we regret doing last night was grating the beets finely--would probably do medium next time so they would be sturdier. Made homemade ricotta and about half of the called amount which was perfect (in the past, there's been way too much leftover). Love this dish and it's always a hit!
We make this at least once a month. Beautiful color and flavor. Preferred modifications to recipe: - Wash and rub olive oil on beets; then roast for 60 min at 400 degrees - Peel and blend beets - Add to brown butter in sauté pan per recipe, but don’t need to cook long - Season according to recipe - Skip ricotta and nuts
yum! I followed the directions exactly and it was lovely. next time I will brown the sage in the butter - I think this will bring out the sage flavor that I felt was lacking.
This recipe is fantastic made as is, but I also make a quick version for daytime lunches by using precooked vacuum sealed beets, and blitzing them in a food processor. I cook them in a pan with plenty of butter while the pasta cooks, and then top with a premade dill soft goats cheese that you can buy here in Australia (Meredith dairy). If I have pistachios I add them per the recipe as they do make a difference, but I’ll still make it without. The important thing for me is the type of pasta - for me it has to be a coarse textured pasta like Squisito - i have used their orecchiette and their capunti and they both work well.
Wow, the blend of flavors is so spectacular. I had beets that were already cooked. I don’t have a food processor so i lightly blended them and added them into the browned butter. Other than that, i precisely followed the recipe. I’d serve this to company as the flavors are complex and the texture with the pistachios is lovely. Melissa Clark does it again!