Beets are native to the Mediterranean, but for a very long time people ate only their leaves, while the root was used in medicine to treat a variety of ailments. It was only in 19th century France that the beet’s culinary potential was discovered, while at the same time the Germans proved that it could produce sugar , making it an easy local alternative to the tropical sugar cane.

Beets are in season from June through October , but they are easy to find throughout the year because, like a lot of roots, they store well. Their flavor is deep, sweet, hearty and rich, making them ideal for cold-weather recipes like this one. Cooking the beets whole is the best way to retain most of their flavor and nutritive value. In particular, roasting intensifies the flavor and makes the peels easy to remove. Just cut off any greens, (you can cook them and eat them separately), scrub the beets clean, place them on a large piece of aluminum foil, fold and close the foil, and bake in a preheated oven at 375 F for 25 minutes to 1 hour depending on the size.

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 8)

• One puff pastry or brisee pastry sheet, home-made or frozen
• 1/2 pound whole milk ricotta (it’s naturally very low-fat, don’t get the fat-free type, the texture is funny) 1 large beet, baked (you can also use the pre-cooked kind but they are less flavorful)
• 2 small leeks, cleaned and sliced very thin
• 1 head of red radicchio, sliced thin
• 1 small or medium egg
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Bake the beet until soft . In the meantime, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, add the leeks and cook the leeks for about 5 minutes. Set 1/2 of the leeks aside, and add the radicchio to the pan. Cook most of the radicchio (save a little for decorating) with the remaining leeks for about 10 minutes, adding 1/4 cup of red wine if it’s sticking to the bottom. Process the cooked beet with 1/2 the cooked leeks, the ricotta, egg, cooked radicchio, salt and pepper to taste, and one tablespoon olive oil.

Pre-heat your oven to 360 F; grease a baking pan or line it with parchment; roll out the pastry, cut it in a circle about 1.5″ wider than the pan and place it in the pan. Fill the pastry with the mix of ricotta and vegetables, and add the remaining cooked leek on top. Fold the edges over, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden. Before serving decorate the top with the remaining radicchio.

*** For an even richer flavor you can add 2 tablespoons of grated parmigiano to there filling.

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