Figs are just one of those things.

They are one of those ingredients that are so stunning, but yet you still are often at a loss of what to do with them.

In my house, figs were not a regular staple. Perhaps that is why I often am at a loss of what to do with them.

Their hearty and sweet characteristics have been the driving force that has lead them to many of my slow cooked dishes. They hold up on their own while spreading their tasty love around any dish that is cooked for a long time.

No wonder this isn’t the first ragu they have found their way into.

You will need…

1lb ground lamb

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 large figs, chopped

4 ounces proscuitto, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup fresh grated pecorino cheese

Beet fettuccini

Start by heating the olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot.

When the oil is hot, add in the lamb and the proscuitto and cook it till it is browned. Breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.

When the meat is browned, add in the rosemary and garlic and season well with salt and pepper. 

Continue to simmer until the garlic is fragrant. About 1 minute.

Add in the mushrooms and figs and cook for an additional two minutes. Just until the mushrooms start to softened.

Stir in the tomato paste until everything is lightly coated.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a simmer. Simmer the liquid slowly, stirring every couple minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. About 20 minutes.

Serve hot with the beet fettuccini or pasta of your choice and topped with cheese.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Lamb and Fig Ragu with Beet Pasta

1lb ground lamb

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 large figs, chopped

4 ounces proscuitto, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup fresh grated pecorino cheese

Beet fettuccini

Start by heating the olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot.

When the oil is hot, add in the lamb and the proscuitto and cook it till it is browned. Breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.

When the meat is browned, add in the rosemary and garlic and season well with salt and pepper. Continue to simmer until the garlic is fragrant. About 1 minute.

Add in the mushrooms and figs and cook for an additional two minutes. Just until the mushrooms start to softened.

Stir in the tomato paste until everything is lightly coated.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a simmer. Simmer the liquid slowly, stirring every couple minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. About 20 minutes.

Serve hot with the beet fettuccini or pasta of your choice and topped with cheese.

Let’s have a moment of honesty. Even though I make pasta regularly now, and think I’m pretty talented with these tasty carbs, I was really bad at it when I first started.

I would venture to say that the first ten times I attempted pasta in one form or another, it was pretty bad. Not even ok. Bad.

So when I decided to challenge my pasta talents, I was a little nervous. There were so many variables I couldn’t seem to master on the first attempts that I was worried it would be like starting over.

The whole family was home when I made my first attempt at beet pasta, and the whole day I kept warning them that it might not work out. I even had a back up package of dried pasta just in case.

But this was an amazingly easy adjustment and the pasta was even better than we had all hoped for.

You will need…

3 large red beets, peeled and chopped

5 garlic cloves

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

4 cups all purpose flour plus extra for rolling the dough

4 large eggs

½ cup hot water

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, toss together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the salt, pepper, garlic and beets. Toss until the beets are all lightly coated with oil.

Spread the beets out on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Until the beets are slightly crisped on the outside.

Set the beets aside to cool.

When the beets have cooled, place them in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. 

Blend in 1 tablespoon olive oil with the beets.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and about 1 cup of the pureed beets. Using your dough hook, blend together the beets and flour. While the mixer is running, add in the eggs one at a time.

Slowly add in the hot water. Just a little at a time. Until the dough is completely combined but not dry. About 7 minutes.

Lay out some plastic wrap and lightly brush it with the remaining olive oil.

Wrap up your dough in the plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.

After the pasta dough has rested. Roll out to your desired thinness for your desired use.

Cook for 2 minutes in salted boiling water and serve hot.  

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Roasted Beet and Garlic Pasta 

3 large red beets, peeled and chopped

5 garlic cloves

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

4 cups all purpose flour plus extra for rolling the dough

4 large eggs

½ cup hot water

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, toss together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the salt, pepper, garlic and beets. Toss until the beets are all lightly coated with oil.

Spread the beets out on a rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Until the beets are slightly crisped on the outside.

Set the beets aside to cool.

When the beets have cooled, place them in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Blend in 1 tablespoon olive oil with the beets.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour and about 1 cup of the pureed beets. Using your dough hook, blend together the beets and flour. While the mixer is running, add in the eggs one at a time.

Slowly add in the hot water. Just a little at a time. Until the dough is completely combined but not dry. About 7 minutes.

Lay out some plastic wrap and lightly brush it with the remaining olive oil.

Wrap up your dough in the plastic wrap and set aside for 30 minutes.

After the pasta dough has rested. Roll out to your desired thinness for your desired use.

Cook for 2 minutes in salted boiling water and serve hot.