Turkey and Beet Greens Ragu

Turkey and beet greens come together in a zesty sauce. It begins with a saute of onions and garlic. As they turn color I add slivered beet greens. Only green leaves, no stems. I like beet greens as they have a nice peppery kick. A quick saute once again and turkey gets to dance in the pan. I let the turkey brown before I pour in a large glug of white wine. Fire-roasted tomatoes and tomato paste mingle with salt and pepper. Unlike traditional ragu, this one has a short simmer. Penne is the pasta of choice. Then again ragu can be ladled over any pasta. 



TURKEY AND BEET GREENS RAGU 
Serves 4

1 pound ground Turkey
1 Onion
4 Garlic cloves
1 cup Beet Greens (only leaves)
1/4 cup White Wine
1/2 cup fire-roasted Tomatoes (canned or fresh)
1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Pasta cooked al-dente
Parmesan Cheese


Peel and chop onion finely.

Peel and cut garlic into thin slivers.

Cut out large beet stems from the leaves. Chop beet leaves roughly into large chunks. Rinse well to remove any grit from the beets.

Heat olive oil in large saucepan.

When it shimmers add chopped onions and garlic. Stir onions till they turn light brown.

Crumble ground turkey into onions. Turn heat to high and saute till turkey acquires some color. Break up the meat with a spatula as you saute it.

When the turkey has a lot of brown spots, pour the white wine in. It should bubble vigorously. Scrape the brown spots in the pan with a spoon. This fond, as it is called, has a ton of flavor.

Stir the meat for a few minutes and then add beet greens. Saute till greens turn a little limp.

Add fire-roasted tomatoes and tomato paste to turkey. 

Season with salt and pepper.

Cover the saucepan and let the sauce cook for 15-20 minutes.

Serve ragu over cooked pasta with a liberal spoonful of grated Parmesan.

The ragu has simple flavor and a wholesomeness that is heartwarming. Paired with an arugula salad, our forks are put to good use.

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