Lentil Pasta
Servings: 4 people
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 (1) onion chopped
- 1 large (1 large) carrot chopped
- 2 cloves (2 cloves) garlic minced
- 1 sprig (1 sprig) rosemary or thyme
- 2 (2) bay leaves or sage
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) tomato paste
- 1 cup (200 grams) dried lentils green or brown
- 12 (12) cherry tomatoes halved
- 4 cups (1 liter) vegetable broth + 2 cups / 500 ml for cooking the pasta.
- 1½ cups (200 grams) ditalini pasta or other short pasta like penne, ditaloni, conchiglie, or rotini (7 oz).
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) salt or more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) Italian parsley chopped
- Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil oil in a large skillet/Dutch oven.Add 1 onion and 1 large carrot (chopped) and sauté for 4 minutes.Add 2 cloves garlic (grated), 1 sprig rosemary, 2 bay leaves, and 2 tablespoons tomato paste, and sauté for 1 more minute, stirring often.
- Add 1 cup dried lentils (rinsed), 12 cherry tomatoes (halved), 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Bring a boil then simmer for 20 minutes. The lentils should be almost cooked at this stage. Stir occasionally.
- Stir in 1½ cups ditalini pasta 2 more cups vegetable broth, and simmer until pasta is cooked (about 12 minutes).Stir often and add more broth if sauce gets too thick.
- Taste and adjust for salt before serving with 2 tablespoons Italian parsley.Optionally you can add a squeeze of lemon or a grating of parmesan cheese.
