Barbie Pasta

Peel the beets and cut them into smaller pieces, then spread them out in a baking tray lined with parchment paper or in an oven-safe dish.

Cut the half head of garlic in two, roughly tear the basil with your hands, and add both to the dish. Place the whole block of feta in the middle, drizzle everything with oil and a bit of pepper, then roast at 220 °C for about 30 minutes until the beets are tender.

While that's going, cook the pasta in a pot of lightly salted water according to the package instructions — al dente is what you're after, so it still has a little bite.

Drain the pasta but save some of the cooking water — keep a bit extra on hand so you have room to adjust the sauce later.

Take the dish out of the oven and squeeze the garlic out of its skin, discarding the skin. Tip everything into a blender and blitz into a smooth sauce, adding pasta water and crème fraîche as you go. If it feels too thick, add a splash more pasta water. A stick blender works fine too.

Fold the pasta into the sauce, then season with lemon juice, a little pepper, and a sprinkle of grated parmesan.