Couldn’t decide if this belonged in Pasta or Beans, since it’s both. Finally decided on Pasta.
Here’s how I made Pasta and Lentils in the style of Puglia, Italy …. Puglia is the heel of the boot and is farm and fishing country. They eat a lot of pasta, beans, and fish, not much in the way of sheep, pork, or beef. Those are reserved for Sundays. This meal is very common in Puglia, especially in the winter. ALthough I don’t see why you couldn’t eat it all year long.
Notes
About the pasta - use something traditional from Puglia, like orecchiette, cavatelli, or similar. These are designed to coat with sauce nicely and the lentils will stick to them as well.
About the lentils - Use good brown lentils. Don't buy the stuff in the bag in the grocery store. My preference is Rancho Gordo's Puglia Lentils, but there are other sources as well. You want them to be firm, flavorful lentils. Don't use Indian style lentils (the red, orange, yellow ones), nor French green lentils or black caviar lentils. None of them will work well for this.
About the tomatoes - go to the grocery store and find the best canned whole tomatoes from Italy that you can find. San Marzano’s, Pomodori Pelati, etc.
Ingredients
1 lb Puglia style pasta: orrechiete, cavatelli, etc
2 cups Puglia Lentils
3 cups low sodium chicken stock
**Soffrito**
3 tbsp EVOO
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 medium yellow onion or 1 leek, white portion only
1 stalk celery
1 medium carrot, peeled
3-4 Pomodori Pelati, or other Italian tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Black pepper to taste
Method
**Make the Soffrito**
Dice the onion, celery, carrot well and to the same size cuts.
Chop the tomatoes to about twice the size of the veggies
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat until shimmering
Add the salt, veggies, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and cook slowly, stirring frequently, adjusting heat to avoid burning, until veggies are soft.
Turn the heat up, stir frequently, and allow to caramelize
Add the tomatoes and wine and cook few minutes until fragrant and wine is reduced and thickened
Adjust pepper (and salt) if needed
**Make the Lentils**
Add lentils to pot (if they are very dry/old, pre-soak for an hour)
Add soffrito to the lentils
Add enough chicken stock to cover lentils by an inch
Bring to a boil, then turn down to a bare simmer (use a lid cracked open to adjust to allow the bare simmer)
Cook lentils for about 35 minutes until they are done. Done means they still have a firm interior, but are no longer "crunchy" .... Start checking for done about 25 minutes in. While cooking, add some stock if they lentils are starting to get too dry.
Make the pasta per the instructions on the package
**Assemble the dish**
Drain the pasta, return to original pot
Spoon the lentils into the pot and stir together
Add a few spoonfuls of the lentil broth and stir in to coat the pasta
Serve with a bit of parmesan cheese on top and a fruit forward Italian red wine
Here’s how I made Pasta and Lentils in the style of Puglia, Italy …. Puglia is the heel of the boot and is farm and fishing country. They eat a lot of pasta, beans, and fish, not much in the way of sheep, pork, or beef. Those are reserved for Sundays. This meal is very common in Puglia, especially in the winter. ALthough I don’t see why you couldn’t eat it all year long.
Notes
About the pasta - use something traditional from Puglia, like orecchiette, cavatelli, or similar. These are designed to coat with sauce nicely and the lentils will stick to them as well.
About the lentils - Use good brown lentils. Don't buy the stuff in the bag in the grocery store. My preference is Rancho Gordo's Puglia Lentils, but there are other sources as well. You want them to be firm, flavorful lentils. Don't use Indian style lentils (the red, orange, yellow ones), nor French green lentils or black caviar lentils. None of them will work well for this.
About the tomatoes - go to the grocery store and find the best canned whole tomatoes from Italy that you can find. San Marzano’s, Pomodori Pelati, etc.
Ingredients
1 lb Puglia style pasta: orrechiete, cavatelli, etc
2 cups Puglia Lentils
3 cups low sodium chicken stock
**Soffrito**
3 tbsp EVOO
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 medium yellow onion or 1 leek, white portion only
1 stalk celery
1 medium carrot, peeled
3-4 Pomodori Pelati, or other Italian tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Black pepper to taste
Method
**Make the Soffrito**
Dice the onion, celery, carrot well and to the same size cuts.
Chop the tomatoes to about twice the size of the veggies
Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat until shimmering
Add the salt, veggies, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and cook slowly, stirring frequently, adjusting heat to avoid burning, until veggies are soft.
Turn the heat up, stir frequently, and allow to caramelize
Add the tomatoes and wine and cook few minutes until fragrant and wine is reduced and thickened
Adjust pepper (and salt) if needed
**Make the Lentils**
Add lentils to pot (if they are very dry/old, pre-soak for an hour)
Add soffrito to the lentils
Add enough chicken stock to cover lentils by an inch
Bring to a boil, then turn down to a bare simmer (use a lid cracked open to adjust to allow the bare simmer)
Cook lentils for about 35 minutes until they are done. Done means they still have a firm interior, but are no longer "crunchy" .... Start checking for done about 25 minutes in. While cooking, add some stock if they lentils are starting to get too dry.
Make the pasta per the instructions on the package
**Assemble the dish**
Drain the pasta, return to original pot
Spoon the lentils into the pot and stir together
Add a few spoonfuls of the lentil broth and stir in to coat the pasta
Serve with a bit of parmesan cheese on top and a fruit forward Italian red wine
Comment