another shade of pesto

A few years ago I started making sun-dried tomato pesto. I found the recipe on 101 Cookbooks and as soon as I made it once I found myself making it over and over again. It is one of my recipe staples. If I am too hungry or tired to cook, I make it. If I have not been grocery shopping in a while, I make it. If you have been over for dinner within the past few years, I probably made it. And, if I am craving something comforting, I make it.

In fact, I hardly ever make pesto with basil anymore. It is a classic that I will forever love, but I just cannot commit to one kind of pesto. Plus, only occasionally do I find myself with enough fresh basil to spare. Beetroot pesto is a colourful alternative to the other green pesto I make (kale pesto). Try it on whole wheat spaghetti, or as a spread on sourdough.

Beetroot Pesto

adapted from Rigetta Klint's Design Sponge recipe

Ingredients

3-4 beets, roasted and peeled
1 garlic clove
a handful of walnuts
2 -4 tbsp grated pecorino romano
a pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
a splash of lemon juice

Roast the beets until soft. Let cool slightly, then peel and roughly chop them. In a blender, mix together the beets, garlic, walnuts, pecorino romano and sea salt. Mix longer for a smoother pesto, or for less time for a chunkier pesto. Slowly add the olive oil with the blender running. Finish with a splash of lemon juice.

Guten!