Beetroot Ravioli with Mint & Pistachio Pesto

One of my favourite raw meals is this Beetroot Ravioli. ‘Raw’ as in not cooked at all! If you haven’t tried raw ravioli, you must! It’s impressive and makes a wonderful lunch or a starter for a dinner party. This dish is definitely a conversation starter. We served this as a first course for a wedding we catered for, and people didn’t stop talking about it – even as they were putting on their coats and walking out the door!  

Ingredients:

• 1-2 medium beetroots, cut into 1mm-thick slices (see Tip)
• 2 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon quality salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice

Cheeze filling

Makes: 1 cup

• 1 cup macadamia nuts
• 1 tablespoon unpasteurised cider vinegar*
• 1 teaspoon quality salt
• 1 tablespoon savoury yeast flakes*
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 capsule vegan probiotic* (optional – see Fermenting option)

Mint & pistachio pesto

Makes: 1 cup

• 2 cups mint leaves (approx. 1 large bunch)
• 1⁄2 cup cold-pressed olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1⁄2 teaspoon quality salt
• 1⁄2 cup raw pistachio nuts
• Chives, for garnishing

* You’ll find these ingredients at Santos Organics

Directions:

1. Place sliced beetroot in a medium mixing bowl. Combine the oil, salt and juice in a cup, then pour over the beetroot and marinate for a minimum of 15 minutes but preferably for 1 hour.
2. Stir slices occasionally to ensure they are coated in the marinade.

Dehydrating option: If you have a dehydrator, dehydrate beetroot slices (after marinating) for 1 hour on the Teflex sheet at 42°C. Dehydrating results in a cooked pasta-like texture, but both techniques are good.

Cheeze filling

1. Place the macadamia nuts in a food processor and process to a crumb-like texture.
2. Add vinegar, salt, yeast flakes, thyme, garlic and lemon juice and blend until smooth.
3. Spoon cheeze into a bowl and set aside until ready to assemble ravioli.

Fermenting option: To make this cheeze extra special, try fermenting it! Break the probiotic capsule in half and sprinkle contents over the blended cheeze filling. Using a wooden spoon only, mix to combine in a glass or ceramic bowl. Cover with a clean tea-towel and leave in a warm place to ferment for 1-2 days.

Mint & pistachio pesto

1. Place all the ingredients, except pistachio nuts and chives, in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Then add the pistachios and pulse just a few times so the pesto retains a little texture.
3. Set aside until ready to serve.

To assemble:

1. Spread half the beetroot slices on a flat work surface.
2. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the cheese onto the centre of each slice and mould into little balls.
3. Top with remaining beetroot slices, pressing edges together to enclose and seal.

You can make Beetroot Ravioli 1-2 days prior to serving. Cover filled ravioli and keep in the fridge to prevent them from drying out. When ready to serve, spoon pesto on top and garnish with chives. Tip: You can make this ravioli using daikon radish, turnip or swede instead of, or as well as, beetroot. I use a mandolin to slice the beetroot.  Passion Catering For more recipes and to purchase 'Passion' or ‘Hungry’ with over 150+ recipes go to http://organicpassioncatering.com/index.php/books @organicpassion (insta) https://www.facebook.com/organicpassioncatering/ https://www.facebook.com/AntheaAmore.author/