Beet Green and Sage Pesto Linguini with Slow Roasted Tomatoes

My husband knows me better than anyone.  He knows that as much as I love to make my own food, there will be days when that frozen pizza that I said I didn't want will be my very best friend.  He knows that I will always, always be in need of new socks.  And he also knows that when I say I don't want anything for Valentine's Day, what I really mean is that I want him to get creative.  This Valentine's Day, he showed up with a gleaming ruby red bunch of beets.  And I almost cried. The man knows how to get to me.  What you should be seeing here is a gorgeous- wait, I'm not going to tell you.  I'm working on that recipe and it will be amazing one day but right now it needs a little tweaking.  Luckily for me, this bunch of beets came complete with greens, and those greens more than made up for the disappointment their roots brought.

There's no use reinventing the wheel here.  Deb over at Smitten Kitchen's got the best recipe for slow-roasted tomatoes, ever.  Period.  So I'll just spare you a sad attempt to recreate it and send you right on down to the master herself.  Or, of course, you may just want to use bottled sundried tomatoes.  (Trust me, you don't.)


Beet Green and Sage Pesto Linguini with Slow Roasted Tomatoes


1  lb linguini
2 cups chopped beet greens, center ribs removed
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup sage leaves
1 cup fresh grated parmesan
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste
2 tbsp water
1/2 cup olive oil+ more for frying
1 cup slow-roasted tomatoes


Add enough oil to coat a large frying pan and bring to medium low heat.  Add beet greens and cook until wilted.  Let cool.  Bring large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to instructions on package.  Add walnuts to food processor and grind until fine, then add cooked greens and all other ingredients except for tomatoes, streaming in olive oil at the end.  Drain pasta and return to pot, tossing with pesto and adding in tomatoes.