Recipe and Photos by Megan Winfrey

Beets are one of those veggies that I usually prepare as minimally as possible. It doesn't get much better than freshly roasted and chilled slices of beetroot- whether in a salad, dressed lightly on their own, or plain jane. Beets play a supporting role in this recipe, but lend an undeniable sweet and earthy flavor and a beautiful magenta color. Little ones will LOVE playing sous chef with this one, and you don't even have to tell them how healthy it is.



Pink Sauce Pizza

• 3 small beets or 1 large
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can tomatoes - diced, whole, or crushed
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 premade, boxed, or homemade pizza dough
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• several dabs of goat cheese
• 6 slices of pancetta
• Truffle oil
• Arugula

For the Beet Marinara:

Preheat the oven to 350. Wash and dry the beets, then put them in the middle of a sheet of foil.

Drizzle the beets with a little bit of olive oil and season with salt, then wrap the foil around them like a packet.

Place the packet on a baking sheet, and roast for about 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the beets, or until fork tender. Let the beets cool until they can be handled, then peel off the skin and chop semi-finely.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, then add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes or so. Next, add the beets and canned tomatoes along with the rest of the spices and mix well, breaking up any large tomato chunks with the back of your spoon. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer for about 20 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Once cooled, use a handheld or countertop blender to puree the marinara.

For the pizza:

Prepare the pizza crust as you like. I used a store bought pizza dough mix and followed the instructions listed. Once the dough is pressed out onto a greased pizza stone or round pan, spread the beet marinara evenly over the dough. Follow with the shredded mozzarella cheese, then scatter dabs of goat cheese over that. Lay out the pancetta slices next, then bake on the lowest rack according to your dough instructions. I baked mine at 500 for 10 minutes. However you bake the pizza, I recommend finishing it off with a few minutes under the broiler to crisp up the pancetta a bit. Just keep an eye on it!

Let cool for a few minutes before slicing, and serve with truffle oil and arugula on the side for last minute toppings.