Crushed Beets & Whole Wheat Spaghetti

🥘 Ingredients

• basil (leaves)
  ½ cup
• black pepper
  to taste
• garlic (minced 1, crushed 1)
  2 cloves
• hazelnuts
  ¼ cup
• lemon
  1 unit
• olive oil
  2½ tbsp
• pre-cooked beets
  8 oz
• red onion
  1 unit
• ricotta cheese
  ½ cup
• salt
  to taste
• whole wheat spaghetti
  8 oz

🍳 Cookware

• pot
• medium bowl
• large pan
• small bowl

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a large pinch of salt. Add the whole wheat spaghetti and cook until al dente ⏱️ 8 minutes . Reserve ⅓ cup pasta water, then drain.

   whole wheat spaghetti: 8 oz
2. 2

   Meanwhile, halve, peel, and thinly slice the red onion . Prep the garlic . Zest and halve the lemon . Thinly slice the basil and reserve the stems.

   red onion: 1 unit, garlic: 2 cloves (minced 1, crushed 1), lemon: 1 unit, basil: ½ cup (leaves)
3. 

   3

   Roughly chop the pre-cooked beets . In a medium bowl , mash the beets with a fork until completely smooth. Mix in ½ tbsp olive oil , the minced garlic, and a pinch of salt and black pepper .

   pre-cooked beets: 8 oz, olive oil: 2½ tbsp, salt: to taste, black pepper: to taste
4. 

   4

   Heat a large pan over medium heat, then add the hazelnuts and cook, tossing, until fragrant ⏱️ 2 minutes . Set aside to cool, then roughly chop.

   hazelnuts: ¼ cup
5. 

   5

   In the same pan, make the basil oil: heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat along with the basil stems and crushed garlic. Cook until fragrant ⏱️ 2 minutes . Set the basil oil aside in a small bowl .
6. 

   6

   In the same pan, add the red onion and cook, tossing, until soft ⏱️ 5 minutes . Season with salt and pepper. Add the beet mixture, whole wheat spaghetti, reserved pasta water, and a squeeze of lemon juice to the pan. Cook, tossing until thoroughly coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. 7

   Plate the pasta, then drizzle with basil oil and dollop with ricotta cheese . Sprinkle with lemon zest, sliced basil, chopped hazelnuts, salt, and pepper. Enjoy!

   ricotta cheese: ½ cup