Hearty, warming lentils in a tomato sauce; for extra protein, crumbled and cooked sausage is a nice addition
(Adapted from Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy, by Lidia Bastianich)
1 cup small lentils, like Puy or Castelluccio
2 medium stalks celery, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 bay leave
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup onion, finely chopped
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 cups canned plum tomatoes with a bit of their juices, preferably San Marzano
2 teaspoons salt, divided
polenta or crostini for serving
In a colander, rinse the lentils and check them for stones. Put them in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan with the celery, bay leaves, and 3 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, cover the pan, and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle, steady simmer. Cook until the lentils are almost tender, about 20 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat in a large skillet or sauté pan. Stir in the onion; cook for 7 minutes or more, until it is soft and glistening. Drop the garlic and pepper flakes into the middle of the pan and let them toast for a minute, stirring. Then add the canned tomatoes, pouring them out with one hand and crushing them with your other hand to break them up before they go in the pan. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt, stir, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Let it bubble gently for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
When the lentils are just slightly undercooked, pour into their pan all the tomato sauce from the skillet, and stir everything. Return the sauce to simmering, and cook, partially covered, until the lentils are fully cooked and tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the cover and stir in the remaining teaspoon of salt, and let the lentils cook slowly, stirring frequently, until they are very thick and starting to fall apart, another 15 minutes or so.
Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Serve over polenta or crostini, with a drizzle of olive oil on top.
First Thursday Recipes 