Penne Pasta in a Roasted Beet Sauce: I tried this with Gluten Free Pasta…It’s yummy.

Most of us have encountered vermouth in a glass — it’s a key ingredient in martinis,Manhattans and makes an excellent aperitif on its own. But vermouth has another great use that you should definitely know about: cooking. Cooking with vermouth is a lot like cooking with wine, only a little punchier.

Here’s the difference: vermouth is a fortified, aromatized wine, which means that its alcohol content has been increased (usually through the addition of a neutral grape brandy) and that it’s been infused with herbs, barks and other botanicals. You can substitute vermouth in a lot of recipes that call for wine, but there are two things you should know: 1) vermouth (both sweet/red and dry/white) have a lot more flavor, so may overwhelm more delicate dishes and 2) because of the increased alcohol, you should either add it the pan off the flame, or be prepared for it to flare a bit, like a brandy would. One other thing, once you open your vermouth bottle, store it in the fridge. It is wine, it has a shelf life and it will stay much fresher this way.

Penne Pasta in a Roasted Beet Sauce: I tried this with gluten free Pasta…It’s yummy.

* 3 medium-sized beets, cleaned and cut into a small dice
* 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
* 3 sprigs thyme
* 3 cloves garlic
* 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
* 2 Tbs. vermouth
* 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
* 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
* 1/4 cup cream or milk
* 1 tsp. sugar…I skipped the sugar
* 1/2 pound penne pasta/gluten free optional
* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
* 1 Tbs. poppy seeds
* mint leaves, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the diced beets with 1 Tbs. oil, thyme sprigs and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes. Check for doneness at the 30-minute mark.

Transfer beets to a food processor. Add the garlic, balsamic vinegar, vermouth, half of the cheese and the 2 remaining Tbs. oil. Pulse until it’s as smooth as you can get it.

Transfer beet mixture to a small saucepan. Add the stock and cream and bring to a light simmer. Add the sugar, remaining cheese and another pinch of salt. Simmer on medium-low while you prepare the rest of the meal. Taste it. Oh I know.

Toast the poppy seeds in a small skillet until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Cook the penne until al dente. Drain and return to skillet. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss to combine. Look. At. That. Color. Give it one more taste. Season accordingly.

Serve pasta garnished with a good sprinkle of the poppy seeds and the mint leaves. And more cheese.

Thank you for this yummy recipe http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/07/vermouth-recipes-cooking-with-photos_n_4045639.html?utm_hp_ref=wine