Red, White & Blue Pasta

Mrs. Vino has a new FAVORITE summer past dish. This is soooo easy and delicious and is perfect paired with Morovino lightly sweet 2009 Pinot Grigio. Don't have a Morovino 09 Grigio??? Shame on you! OK, try it instead with a semi-sweet Reisling.

Red, White & Blue Pasta (OK, some yellow thrown in too)
5 Beets, peeled (Red)
1/4 cup White or Black Truffle Oil (or use a REALLY good fruity olive oil) 2 ears fresh corn on the cob
8 oz small pasta--I like little tiny seashells (white)
1 4-5 oz package crumbled Bleu Cheese (Blue - or Bleu)
1 T olive oil for roasting beets
Salt & Pepper to taste.

OK, let's start with the beets. If you don't have beets any other roasted root veggie works, but it's not as pretty! Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Cut the peeled beets into 1" cubes (or 1.5" or 2", no need to use a ruler). Toss the beet cubes with the 1T olive oil to coat (yes, your hands will turn red - never fear, soap and hot water will get rid of it). Place the beets in a single layer on a baking sheet with a rim (so they don't slide off) and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Roast the beets for 30-40 minutes, stirring once. You want them fork tender and lightly carmelized. This can actually be done up to one day in advance.

Boil water in a big ole pot. Shuck the corn. When the water is boiling, place the 2 ears of corn in it and let them boil for 5 minutes. Take them out with tongs (cuz we are going to be very efficient and use this water for the pasta, too). Place the pasta in the already boiling water and cook according to package instructions for al dente. While the pasta is cooking, cut the corn kernels off the cob.

Mrs. Vino finds the easiest way to get corn off the cob is to use a big bowl and a coffee cup. Place the coffee cup upside down in the big bowl. Rest the tip of the corn cob on the bottom of the coffee cup (which is up - OK, I'm actually confusing myself). Hold the other end of the corn cob. With a small sharp pairing knife, cut down the cob. The corn will fall into the bowl instead of flying all over your kitchen.

Since Mrs. Vino hates washing dishes, we will use the big bowl which now contains the corn kernels for tossing our pasta - so . . .

When the pasta is finished, drain it, then place it in the big bowl with the corn kernels. Add the truffle oil (or fruity olive oil), bleu cheese and beets. Season with salt and pepper. Toss it all together - give it a few minutes so the bleu cheese melts. Serve piled on plates - extra credit points - save a couple of roasted beets to top the pasta with.

Or, refrigerate, cuz this makes a FANTASTIC cold pasta salad, too.