Beets-Pasta Dough?

[farnfam]

I got a handful of small beets. I had an idea. How about I puree the beets and use them in a pasta dough. I want to make ravioli (it'll be such a pretty color) and stuff the ravioli with crabmeat. Anybody ever do this before? Hints for the dough? Ideas for the crabmeat filling?? and lastly, what kind of sauce to top it all??
Cis

[esgunn]

Cis, I have not made this beet pasta, but it came from my Mixer Bible cook book:

Beet Pasta

Though the flavor of beets isn't dominant, beet pasta is a b beautiful rosy color. To showcase the color serve with a cream-based rather than tomato based sauce.

1/4 cup drained canned beets
1 tsp olive oil
2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour (approx.)
3/4 tsp salt
3 eggs

In a small bowl, using a fork, thoroughly mash beets in oil.

Place flour and salt in the mixer bowl. Attach the flat beater and mixer bowl to the mixer. Set to stir and mix briefly. Add eggs and beet mixture; mix until dough forms large clumps. Using your hands form dough into a ball. If dough is shaggy and dry, and won't form a ball, add 1 tsp water and mix until incorporated. If it's too sticky, add 1 tbsp flour and mix until incorporated. If necessary keep adding water or flour in small increments and mix until dough comes together.

Remove the flat beater and attach the dough hook to the mixer. Set to speed 2 and knead for 2 minutes, until dough comes together in a firm ball. Remove dough and wrap in plastic wrap. Let rest for 20 minutes before rolling out.

Makes 1 lb.

[Gourmet_Mom]

This is a little different from what you are asking for, but it was REALLY, REALLY good! Jean posted this a while back and I've tried it. With a family of guys who usually will try anything, they really looked at my sideways this time. But in the end, they were won over....they liked it. AND it was pretty, too! Check out the thread on Beet Ravioli with Butter and Poppy Seeds

[farnfam]

Thanks Erin, that's exactly what I needed! I'll just boil the beets till they're like canned ones. At some point I'd have to slip the skins too I guess.
Daph, I did look at that and it sounds good, but I want to use the beets for the dough and make a crab filling. The butter and poppy seeds might be a good choice for the sauce tho'
Thanks
Cis

[cjs]

Had to go back and look at that recipe again, didn't remember it...it was good!

cis, one idea for saucing it would be (I copied this from that thread above) - so simple, and so good.

"This is really the important part. We all have ravioli recipes, but oh, the drizzle of melted butter, freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and toasted pine nuts...died and gone to heaven!"

or
I used this sauce on crab cakes for catering a lot – if it was Christmas time…

GREEN PEA SAUCE:
1/2 c shelled fresh or thawed frozen peas
3 fresh mint leaves
1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
S&P to taste
Pinch of sugar
1/4 c dry white wine or clam juice

GREEN PEA SAUCE:
In a small pan, blanch the peas for 1 min. in boiling salted water.
Remove the peas w/slotted spoon & plunge them into cold water to set color; drain.
In a blender or food process, place the blanched peas & mint & purée. Transfer to a small pan, add the clam juice or wine & cream, & cook gently over low heat.
Season w/S&P and sugar.

Serving Ideas : Pour a pool of green pea sauce on each of 2 salad plates. Place a cake, with browned side up, on each pool of sauce & garnish w/the julienne of tomato.


This one is good with crab wontons – bet it would work also, just drizzled


Blackberry Szechwan Sauce

1/2 cup blackberry purée
1/2 cup saki
OR
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt -- (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes -- (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 1/2 tablespoons honey

For sauce: Mix all ingredients in saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until clear and thickened. (The flavor of this sauce improves after standing overnight.)

Or –


* Exported from MasterCook *

Citrus-Vanilla Sauce

2 oranges
1 lemon
1 lime
1 vanilla bean -- split
2 fluid ounces heavy cream
8 ounces unsalted butter
salt -- to taste

Squeeze the juice from the oranges, lemon and lime. In a medium saucepot, combine the citrus juices with the vanilla bean. Bring to a simmer and reduce by two-thirds. Add the cream to the mixture and reduce by two-thirds. Lower the heat and slowly whisk in the butter to form a beurre blanc sauce. Season with salt, strain the sauce and reserve in a warm place.

Yield:
"10 fluid ounces"

NOTES : Restaurant Kevin Taylor
Denver, CO

[farnfam]

Made these tonite. Very yummy. The beet taste was there but not very prominent, tho' I find that with most "veggie flavored" pasta, it's more color than flavor.
The crab filling was very good and we topped with mushroom/wine cream sauce. Wish the sauce was more white but the flavor was excellent. Will try to post pix




The color was beautiful, very vivid
Cis

[esgunn]

Cis, they are absolutely beautiful, and look just perfect. Even if the flavor isn't there - the nutrition is!

[Old Bay]

Looks beautiful--how did you get the red off your hands? I love Harvard beets, but I buy them in a can--to me cooking beets intimidates the whole kitchen.

[farnfam]

Thanks, Erin and Bill. Didn't have any trouble with the "red", guess we got lucky this time. It was just a few beets, they went from the stove to the drainer to the PowerPrep. Once the flour was added they didn't run.
Cis

[cjs]

oh my that looks so good and tasty!!