Beets are tricky. The purple variety stains your hands for days, they take a long time to roast, and quite honestly – I’m not always sure what to do with them. But they’re beautiful and plentiful at the farmers market when not much else is.

This week, I stumbled upon golden beets the size of baseballs and couldn’t resist buying them. They didn’t discolor my hands and I sped up the roasting process by cutting and peeling the beets first. I opted to cut the beets in rounds, so they could be stuffed easily into sandwiches (sour dough, ricotta and spinach sandwiches, to be precise), but these are good enough to eat on their own.

Note the quantities below are suggestions – use whatever amounts you like.

Happy roasting.

Ingredients:
4 large beets (about two pounds)
Olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Chop the ends off your beets, saving the greens for another use, if desired. Next, peel your beets (you may need to use a paring knife).

3. When beets are peeled, slice into thin disks and toss with olive oil (about a tablespoon), a pinch of salt and pepper, then spread into a layer on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.

4. Cover the beets with another sheet of foil and fold the ends together to form a packet. Roast for 30 minutes, turning beets halfway through.

When beets are tender and golden, remove from foil and let cool. Can be stored in the fridge for a few days.