Beetroot and Feta Salad (with Balsamic Dressing)

Roast beetroot:

1. Roast beets: Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C. Loosely wrap each beet in an individual piece of aluminum foil. Bake the beets until fork tender.
2. Roasting time: This can take anything between 1 and 2 hours, depending on the size of the beets and your oven. My small-to-medium beets (each weighing about 5.5 oz/ 150 g) needed 1 hour and 20 minutes. Start checking after about 1 hour by opening a parcel and sticking a fork into the beet (Notes 4 and 5).
3. Prepare beets: Let the beets cool. Then, peel them and slice them very thinly. You can use a large chef’s knife or a mandoline. You can also cut the beets into small cubes instead of slicing them.

Toast pine nuts:

1. Toast 1 tablespoon of pine nuts in a frying pan without adding fat. Shake the pan often to prevent the nuts from burning. Once golden and fragrant, transfer them to a plate and let them cool.

Dressing:

1. Mix white balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly add the olive oil and whisk until the dressing is slightly emulsified. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper (Note 6).2 tablespoon balsamic + 1 tablespoon honey + about ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt + ⅛ teaspoon black pepper + 3 tablespoon olive oil

Arrange salad:

1. Arrange the roasted beet slices on a serving plate. Evenly spoon ½ of the balsamic dressing on top. Crumble the feta cheese on the beets. Top with the toasted pine nuts and freshly chopped basil (or parsley) just before serving. 5.5 oz/ 75 g feta + 5-6 basil leaves (or chopped parsley)
2. Serve with the remaining dressing.