lentils

Tutte le ricette di questa sezione sono frutto di esperienza, creatività e…. passaparola di Eleonora Berto, presenza quotidiana al nuovo negozio de “El Tamiso” Sotto il Salone n^28 a Padova. Gli ingredienti sono tutti da agricoltura biologica e le dosi sono indicativamente per quattro persone.

Lentils on New Year's Eve, rich all year round... but... very rich lentils all year round until New Year's Eve!!!

BASIC PREPARATION

In these recipes, “our” small lentils have been used that do not need soaking; if you want to make them softer, you can leave them in water for 2-3 hours... rinse them and use them as described in the recipes.

CHICORY AND LENTIL SALAD

INGREDIENTS: radicchi of various species (variegated/red/chicory), 70 g lentils, a small onion, salt (pepper), lemon juice, extra olive oil.

PROCEDURE:

1) In a small bowl, prepare the salad dressing: put some oil, lemon juice, salt, finely chopped onion (pepper) and emulsify all the ingredients with a fork.

2) In a colander, wash the lentils under running water, put them in a pot to boil over low heat, with 200 ml of cold water. After 20 minutes, put in some salt. It will take about 10 more minutes to cook, until the water is completely absorbed. Taste them and, if they like them softer, add a little more boiling water and cook them another 5 minutes.

3) Wash and dry the radicchi, cut them and place them in a salad bowl, add the lentils (cold) and season with the emulsion.

CHRISTMAS TREE

INGREDIENTS: gr.100 lentils, n. 1 medium boiled potato, a bunch of aromas (sage/rosemary/bay leaf), n. 1 clove of garlic, salt, a little extra olive oil.

PROCEDURE:

Wash the lentils and put them in a pot with 300 ml of cold water, the aromatic herbs (tied with a thread so the rosemary needles do not disperse), the garlic clove and a little salt. Boil over low heat for about 25/30 minutes in a covered pot. Remove the aromas and garlic, add the potato crushed with the potato masher. Drizzle with a little oil. Work, kneading with your hands to form small balls the size of peanuts, which must be patiently rolled on the ingredients that

form the different colors:

RED: put 10 peeled almonds and a slice of red turnip in the mixer, salt

BRICK: put 10 peeled almonds and 4/5 dried tomato fillets in the mixer

GREEN: put a handful of pistachios and a little salt in the mixer

VARIEGATED: put black and green olives with capers and parsley in the mixer

ORANGE: put 6/7 almonds, a carrot, lemon juice and salt in the mixer

YELLOW: put 10 almonds, a pumpkin slice, a little onion, lemon juice and salt in the mixer

WHITE: put 15 almonds and salt in the mixer.

You can form small single-portion saplings or a large tree to be placed in the center of the table. Garnish with pomegranate.

LENTIL SOUP

INGREDIENTS: 150 grams lentils, 2 carrots, 1 large onion, 3 celery ribs, 5/6 tomatoes (or peeled), sage, rosemary, 1 clove of garlic, extra virgin olive oil (chilli pepper), grated parmesan cheese, slices of toasted bread.

PROCEDURE: Wash the vegetables and cut them into small pieces, wash the lentils and put them in a pot with the vegetables, garlic, sage and rosemary (tied with thread), chilli and salt. Pour one and a half liters of cold water and cook 30/40 minutes on low heat. Before serving, remove the garlic and the bunch of aromas. Arrange the toasted bread, a drizzle of oil, the Parmesan cheese and finally the soup on the plates.

RAVIOLONI AND CAPPELLACCI WITH SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

-FOR THE PASTA: 300 g soft wheat flour, 3 whole eggs, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt.

-FOR THE FILLING: gr. 100 lentils, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 1 onion, a glass of tomato sauce, salt.

-FOR THE DRESSING: 10 sage leaves, 1 clove of garlic, 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (or butter), 4/5 tablespoons of tomato puree.

PROCEDURE: Arrange the flour in a fountain, add the whole eggs, oil and salt in the center. Knead well until the mixture is firm, form a ball and let it rest 30 min. in a bowl covered with a plate (not in the fridge). Wash the lentils and put them in a pan with the chopped vegetables and 500 ml of water. After 20 minutes, add the sauce and salt. Finish cooking until the sauce is dry. Flour the top and roll out the very thin dough with a rolling pin (or machine). Cut out squares of 12 cm on each side, put a teaspoon of filling and close forming triangles. Seal the dough by pressing with the tines of a fork. The chaplaces are obtained by closing the triangle. Prepare the dressing by drying the sage and garlic in oil, after 2 minutes remove the garlic and add the tomato puree, cook for a few minutes. Boil the ravioli in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain gently, so as not to break them, place them gradually in a baking dish, season them and serve warm.

LENTIL MEATBALLS WITH WHITE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS: 150 g lentils, a handful of parsley, ½ clove of garlic, 1 or two whole eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, extra virgin olive oil, 1 cup of plain yogurt.

PROCEDURE: Wash the lentils and put in a pot with 500 ml of cold water to boil. After about 25/30 minutes they will be cooked, let them cool down. Beat the eggs with a fork and season them with a little oil, salt and chopped garlic and parsley. Add the lentils and mix the ingredients well. To form the meatballs, add the breadcrumbs a little at a time and knead with your hands to feel the consistency. Brown them in a lightly oiled pan, turning them a couple of times.

LENTILS WITH POLENTA

INGREDIENTS: gr. 250 lentils, 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks, 1 medium onion, 1 clove of garlic, 4/5 peeled tomatoes, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 bunch of aromas (sage, rosemary, bay leaf) tied with thread, salt, chilli pepper.

PROCEDURE:

For the polenta: 300 grams of stone-ground corn flour, 1 liter of water, salt.

PROCEDURE: Chop carrots, celery and onion and put them in a pan with the oil over medium heat. After 5 minutes, add the lentils (washed), the chopped peeled ones, the garlic and the aromatic bunch, the chilli pepper and the salt. Cover with water just above the contents of the ingredients and cook, over low heat and with a covered pot, for 30/35 minutes... If they dry out too much (risking burning) add ½ cup of hot water and finish cooking. Prepare the polenta... see previous recipes (with basic cooking)... and serve everything hot directly on the plates to be

tasted!

... and finally... there is no party without dessert...

HAZELNUT AND LENTIL COOKIES

INGREDIENTS: 250 g stone-ground soft wheat flour, 250 g brown sugar, 120 g butter, 120 g hazelnuts (already peeled and, if you want, roasted), a pinch of salt, 80 pre-cooked lentils (boiled with a little salt), 1 whole egg, half a bag of vanilla baking powder (natural).

PROCEDURE:

Work the butter with the sugar until you get a soft and fluffy cream. Add the egg and knead the dough again for 1 minute with a pinch of salt. Add the flour (sieved, so as not to form lumps) and the vanilla yeast. Coarsely chop the hazelnuts and lentils. Knead the dough for 1-2 minutes and let it rest for 30 minutes. If you don't have molds you can make balls as big as a walnut and flatten them slightly... with this dose you will get about 70 cookies. Set the oven to 180 degrees and place the cookies to be baked on the plate, spaced slightly from

each other.

Attention... cook the cookies 10 minutes... no more!!!!!!!!

Let them cool before removing them from the plate and... bon appetit!.