Beetroot with walnut pesto

Ingredients:

• 6-8 medium red or yellow beets (about 1 kg)
• 1 cup tightly packed flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup walnut halves
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
• 0.5 tsp red wine vinegar

Preparation:

1. Trim the beet tops, leaving about 1 cm of stem. Wash the beets thoroughly to remove all sand. Peel with a vegetable peeler, wearing gloves.
2. Cover the peeled beets in a medium saucepan with cold water and season generously with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the beets are tender when pierced with a fork, 20-30 minutes. Drain in a colander and cut into quarters.
3. Meanwhile, combine the parsley, walnuts, and garlic in a food processor and coarsely chop. Add the olive oil and blend until smooth. Add the pecorino cheese and vinegar to the sauce, and season with salt to taste.
4. Toss the beets in a bowl with a small amount of pesto. Transfer the remaining pesto to a small bowl and serve the beets with the pesto drizzled on top.