Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Beet Pasta Dough
- 300 g tipo 00 flour
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 80 g roasted beets, pureed until completely smooth
Vodka Vinaigrette
- 30 ml premium vodka
- 15 ml white wine vinegar
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 g lemon zest, finely grated
- 1 g white pepper, ground
- 2 g kosher salt
Caviar and Garnishes
- 30 g osetra caviar, chilled
- 60 g creme fraiche, chilled
- 10 g chives, finely minced
- 15 g shallots, finely minced
- 1 hard-boiled egg, pushed through a fine sieve
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 508 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbohydrates
- 62 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 865 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 193 mg
- Potassium
- 245 mg
- Calcium
- 76 mg
- Iron
- 2.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 52 mg
- Phosphorus
- 202 mg
- Zinc
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 114 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.29 mg
- Niacin
- 1.1 mg
- Folate
- 59 mcg
- Water
- 81 g
- Alcohol
- 3 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Puree the roasted beets in a blender or food processor until entirely smooth, passing through a fine sieve if necessary to remove any fibrous pieces.
Mound the tipo 00 flour and salt on a clean work surface. Create a deep well in the center and add the room temperature eggs and beet puree.
Gradually incorporate the flour into the wet ingredients using a fork, then transition to kneading by hand. Knead vigorously until the dough is smooth, elastic, and uniform in color.
Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and allow it to rest at room temperature to hydrate the flour and relax the gluten.
Divide the dough into quarters. Pass each piece through a pasta machine, gradually reducing the thickness until it is about 1.5mm thick. Cut the sheets into fettuccine ribbons.
In a small mixing bowl, aggressively whisk the premium vodka, white wine vinegar, olive oil, lemon zest, salt, and white pepper until fully emulsified.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil at 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Drop the fresh fettuccine into the water and cook briefly until al dente.
Drain the pasta in a colander, shaking off excess water. Immediately transfer to a mixing bowl and toss gently with the vodka vinaigrette while the pasta is still hot.
Using a carving fork or tongs, twirl the dressed pasta into warm shallow bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of creme fraiche, a gentle spoonful of caviar, minced chives, shallots, and a dusting of sieved egg.
Chef's Notes
- Treat the vodka in the vinaigrette like a seasoning. Choose a high-quality, clean-tasting vodka as the raw alcohol bite will be prominent and cuts directly through the richness of the caviar.
- The temperature contrast in this dish is vital. The pasta should be warm enough to release the aromas of the vinaigrette, but the caviar and creme fraiche must remain sharply chilled until the moment of serving.
- Sieiving the hard-boiled egg creates a delicate, fluffy garnish known as mimosa, providing a beautiful textural contrast to the snapping pearls of caviar without weighing down the fine pasta.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Uncooked pasta dough only. Finished dish does not keep.
Freezer: 1 month — Uncooked shaped pasta can be frozen.
Troubleshooting
Pasta dough is too sticky or wet
Cause: The roasted beets retained too much moisture
Fix: Knead in extra tipo 00 flour one tablespoon at a time until the dough becomes silky
Prevention: Roast beets whole rather than boiling to minimize water content
Vodka vinaigrette separates quickly
Cause: Insufficient whisking or improper ratio of oil to acid
Fix: Add a tiny drop of dijon mustard or a teaspoon of hot pasta water and re-whisk to stabilize the emulsion
Prevention: Stream olive oil in slowly while whisking vigorously
Caviar tastes metallic
Cause: Reaction with silver or base metal utensils
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Always use non-reactive utensils like glass, bone, or mother of pearl when serving caviar
Cultural Context
This dish represents a modern interpretation of the traditional Russian Zakuski spread, elevating the classic pairings of vodka, beets, and caviar. By utilizing an Italian pasta medium, the sharp, aristocratic flavors of Eastern Europe are delivered in a playful, elegant appetizer course.










