Ingredients
Salt
1 pound spaghetti
1 bunch beets with large leafy tops*, greens trimmed, washed and sliced 1/2 inch thick and beets trimmed and left in skins
EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling plus about 3 tablespoons
Salt and pepper
1 bottle Rosso di Montalcino or Rosso di Montepulciano (Tuscan red wine)
1 pound Italian sweet sausage with fennel (leave out to make this vegetarian)
4 large shallots or small 1 red onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
Grated Pecorino or ricotta salata cheese, grated
Toasted pistachios (Sicilian pistachios are my favorites), chopped
Chopped mint and parsley, to serve
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. Rub beets with a drizzle of oil and season with salt and pepper. Place beets in baking dish, cover dish with foil and roast beets until tender. Remove from oven and cool to handle. Rub skins from beets with a paper towel. (Before handling the beets, rub your hands with a little olive oil to keep them from staining.)
Chop beets into bite-sized pieces. (Use a rubber cutting board to keep wood from staining.)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt water and add spaghetti, boil 5 minutes and drain. Return pot to stove, add wine and bring to a boil. Reduce over high heat for 2-3 minutes then add in the pasta and cook over medium-high heat, tossing frequently with tongs, until most of the liquid evaporates. Add beet greens when pasta is just about al dente.
Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium-high heat in a drizzle of olive oil. Add sausage, if using, and brown and crumble. Add 3 turns of the pan of EVOO along with the shallots or onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook to tender 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar then add the vinegar and some of the wine sauce to deglaze pan. Scrape veggies into the pot with the pasta and toss to combine. Add in beets and sausage, and toss again. Garnish with lots of salty, tangy ricotta salata, nuts, mint and parsley.
