Beets are in season here at Casa Marcela. So what do you do if you have a large basket of beets laying in the garden? Well, the options are endless and we decided to make a healthy version of a ravioli. At Casa Marcela we thrive on discovering new dishes that are equally tasteful and healthy all at once, and this is what we like to call healthy mexa food. I grew up snacking on beets drizzled with fresh lime and some salt, and I do however remember my mom spending long hours in the kitchen waiting for the beets to cook. So for this recipe we decided to wrap them individually and roast them in the oven. This process caramelizes the beets and brings out their sweet taste. This recipe truly beats (ha, see what I did there) any other beet recipe out there. They make lovely appetizers for a party and even great snacks. Make sure to use smaller beets to get that bite size effect in your “raviolis”. Not failing to mention that the flavor in the ricotta is the perfect pairing with the sweet earthy flavor of roasted beets... you might fall in love with these! Happy Cooking!
Roasted Beet Raviolis with Chili Oil
Ingredients:
- 6 small red, gold, and Chioggia beets
- 3/4 cups ricotta cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews, chopped
- Cracked chili pepper, for garnish
- Chili oil, for garnish
- Chopped basil, for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place each beet in a piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap beets individually in foil. Place beets in a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes to an hour. Until beets are tender. Remove beets from foil and discard. Allow for beets to cool down.
In a small bowl combine ricotta cheese, chives, olive oil. Mix until ingredients are combined and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Using a mandolin or sharp knife thinly slice beets. Place a dollop of ricotta cheese on the center of a beet slice. Place another slice on top of the ricotta cheese and press down. Repeat this step with the rest of the beets. Place beet raviolis on a platter. Garnish with cashews, cracked chili pepper, chili oil and chopped basil. Top with fine sea salt and serve.