This is the pasta that made this weekend work. In my last post, I waxed on and on about the back-and-forth between spring and winter this time of year, and as fate would have it, today we woke up (yet again) to another wintery wonderland. I’ll admit to not being someone who is particularly diligent about keeping up with the weather forecast – and by that I mean I quite literally never check it. Weird? Weird. It’s just that it’s going to be what it’s going to be, and I suppose that’s the reason why I fail to ever really get too invested in it (unless I have a specific reason to be). If it’s cold, we’ll bundle up. If it’s not, we won’t. And there you have it. What a simpleton, I am.
And so, it only follows that I was absolutely gobsmacked when I yanked open my bedroom blinds this morning to see my world, yet again, blanketed in a thick layer of frosty white snow. I audibly gasped, inspiring both Elle and Easton to do the same. And to think spring break starts this week – a week that is already far more wintry than even the wintriest of all the winter weeks we had. Stranger things have happened, I guess.
But alas, here we are in the literal thick of it again and there’s nothing quite like a big pan of incredibly flavorful pasta to really give an unwelcome, bitterly cold weekend a much cozier, “you’re not so bad after all” feeling. This is the pasta to do that – this Honeyed Balsamic Pasta with Burrata and Beets. I love that it’s not the predictably indulgent, overly creamed and heavy sauce-laden pasta that you might expect with that kind of introduction. No, it’s bright and kind of sweetly soured and very snappy (I’ve never used that word to describe anything on this blog to date. woo.). It’s wonderful. I am in love. And I bet you will be too.
I snagged the inspiration for this honeyed balsamic pasta from a combo of several other sites, namely HalfBaked Harvest, Donna Hay, and Food and Wine. This is my variation, and it’s a winner for sure. You can kind of go with the flow of your market and the seasons with this, swapping in the baby veggies of spring for the beets if you like (radishes would be great). You can use goat cheese or feta in stead of burrata and, if it suits, another solid switch would be to go half veggie noodles and half regular pasta (which is what I did for the batch I made to photograph here). It turned out just as well as the full pasta version, so I say go with what you’ve got, what you like, and what floats your pasta-loving boat.
I did, and all was right with our snow-covered world. Enjoy, guys.
xo, L
Honeyed Balsamic Pasta with Beets & Burrata
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 beets any variety you like, quartered
- 1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves chopped if large
- Salt and pepper
- 1 lb such as angel hair or spaghetti
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 8 oz mushrooms any variety, or a mix, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves grated or minced
- 1 cup balsamic
- 3 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 18 oz burrata cheese
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 425°F.
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Line a baking sheet with foil (this is optional, but helps with clean up). Toss together 2 Tbsp of the olive oil, the beets, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 30 minutes or until the beets are tender and beginning to char a bit.
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Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water just before you drain.
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Melt the butter and remaining 2 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, or until nice and tender and just beginning to caramelize. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Transfer the mushrooms/garlic to a plate or bowl and set aside.
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In the same pan, still over med-high, add the balsamic vinegar, honey and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until the vinegar reduces by about 1/3 and becomes sticky. Turn the heat down to low and add the mushrooms back in to the pan. Stir to coat and, if the sauce seems too thick, thin it with a little of the pasta cooking water. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Serve the pasta immediately, topped with the roasted beets, torn pieces of burrata, and other garnishes of your choosing.
Great recipe, can’t wait to cook!
Thanks so much! xoxo
What a great way to serve pasta! Love your photos too! (:
Thank you so much!! xoxo
[…] gorgeous food blog, Harvest and Honey, inspired the choice of […]
This plate looks gorgeous and like something we could dazzle some dinner guests with! I too hate the back and forth of winter and spring. Spring! Get here already!!!!
Thanks so much for this sweet comment! Plates of pretty pasta are always my favorite – and yes … perfect for a dinner party! Hope you guys are well. xoxo