Pasta e Lenticchie

April 26, 2023

Pasta e Lenticchie is one of the most delicious soups in the Italian hearty soup canon. This recipe was created by chef, food stylist and recipe developer Rosie Mackean for our Whole Olive Green Lentils but works just as well with other whole lentils. We've been growing lentils in the UK since 2015 and they're now a tasty, versatile staple of our range of British-grown wholefoods.

We love making this soup with lentils but you can swap in dried and soaked beans or chickpeas or tinned pulses too. It is fabulously hands-off, you just let the lentils bubble away until tender before adding the pasta and you can chuck in any other vegetables you need to use up.

This recipe exemplifies Rosie's love for Italian cuisine (and her addiction to pasta), more of which can be found on her Instagram feed and in her popular Substack newsletter The Dinner Party.

Serves 4

Ingredients

100g Guanciale or Pancetta, diced (optional)
2 tbsps Olive Oil
1 Onion, diced
1 Carrot, diced
2 Celery Sticks, diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, sliced
2 Bay Leaves
125g Passata
250g Dried Whole Lentils, rinsed
350g Ditalini or Small Pasta
1.5l Vegetable Stock
Chopped Parsley and Parmesan, to serve

Method

If using the guanciale or pancetta, heat a large saucepan on a low heat and gently render down the meat until it is crisp and its fat has been released.
Use this fat to sweat down your onion, garlic and celery on a medium heat, or use the olive oil if necessary.
After the veg has been softening for about 10 minutes add in the garlic and fry for a minute before stirring in the lentils, bay, passata and stock.
Bring to a simmer and cook gently covered for 20 minutes, until the lentils are just starting to get tender but holding their shape.
Season well, add in the pasta and simmer for another 10 - 12 minutes or so until it is cooked. The lentils should be soft and giving by this point too.
Serve with chopped parsley, grated parmesan if you wish and lovely chunky bread.

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