Pasta and lentils is a very genuine, light legume-based soup, and above all easy to prepare.
In winter it is one of the most popular dishes in our house because everyone loves it and it rivals equally with Neapolitan pasta and peas and Roman pasta and chickpeas.
Over time I have modified the way I prepare this dish. Before my daughters were born, I used to season the lentils simply with garlic and parsley, as my mother generally does. Later, with the need to enrich every preparation for the kids with vegetables, I began adding celery, carrots, and onions that boiled with the lentils. Now, however, I make a sofrito with celery, carrots, and onions that, along with garlic and tomato paste, gives the whole recipe a stronger flavor.
Regarding pasta choices, there is a wide range from classic mixed pasta to tubetti, and even broken spaghetti.
Now take a minute to read the recipe and then…let’s cook and eat!!
See also
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 7 oz dried lentils
- 1 carrot (small)
- Half onion
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 9 oz pasta
Tools
- 1 Pot tall
- 1 Wooden spoon
Steps
To prepare pasta and lentils, it is not necessary to soak the lentils, but simply rinse them under running water right before cooking them.
Then proceed to heat a base of oil in a pot and sauté a clove of garlic together with chopped carrots, celery, and onions.
Then add the lentils and let them absorb the flavors in the sofrito along with the tomato paste, then remove the garlic.
At this point, add hot water to cover the lentils, salt and let the lentils cook for 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary.
When it’s time to cook the pasta, add more hot water, bring to a boil and add the pasta, cooking it by adding a little water at a time if necessary. The final result should be a creamy dish, not too soupy. Adjust salt and pepper before plating.
Serve with a drizzle of raw oil and grated Parmesan cheese if desired😉.
