~ Buon Anno! The Celebration over Siena ~ (Image courtesy of D. Lloyd)
Italy has many iconic dishes that are linked to specific celebratory times of the year. However, none may be more famous than lentils. In Italian folklore, lentils represent coins. As a result, those eating lentils on New Year’s Day will be blessed with prosperity and good fortune.
We typically make lentils as a side dish but on this New Year’s Day, I decided to use them in a “pasta and beans” adaptation. The end result was amazingly delicious. This recipe is easy, wholesome and comforting.
~ Mis en place. I’ll leave it to you whether to include the Martini ~
What I love about lentils is that they don’t require soaking the way beans do. I often cook on a whim. So I don’t always plan 12+ hours in advance to soak beans. Like many of my Recipes, this is very simple, so let’s get to it!
Pasta con Lentiche
3 garlic cloves, chopped
About a dozen fresh cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/2 sweet vidalia onion, chopped
2-3 bay leaves
1 cup brown lentils
1 pound Rigatoni or Mezzi Rigatoni
1 box of chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 small can of tomato paste
1 gin martini, if using (or more to taste)
In a pan large enough to hold the finished pasta, saute the first four ingredients in good extra virgin olive oil until softened. At this point, add the lentils, tomato paste and stock. Stir to combine, lower the flame to simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes.
~ Garlic, onion, tomatoes and bay leaves softening. Prepare yourself for how good this smells ~
Honestly, after adding the lentils and stock, you are pretty much done. Can it get easier? If you think this has been hard up to this point, sip your martini. There….. can it get easier? What follows now is a progression of lentil cookery.
~ This is the sauce immediately after adding the stock. The tomato paste has rendered it red. That will change as it cooks ~
After about 15 minutes, you’ll have this.
~ You can see this starting to come together. But notice that the tomatoes are still retaining their shape. So, sip your Tini ~
~ This is about 25 minutes in. The lentils were still too firm, but you can see the sauce thickening. It’s OK – you can add pasta water at the end if needed ~
While the lentils cook, I’m going to say a word or two about pasta. Recently, several of my readers have asked what brands of pasta I use if I’m not making homemade noodles. Dried pasta is great for the home chef because it affords the ability to use many different shapes of pasta. This is also important depending upon the condimento being used. My favorite brands are: Rummo, Molisana, Bartolini, Giuseppe Cocco and DeCecco. I use them all pretty much equally; the determining factor being which brand makes which shape. And by all means, that is not an exhaustive list.
These pastas are expensive. What does that mean? Barilla, or something even worse from the US, might cost $1.75 per pound give or take. The ones mentioned above are about $4-$5 per pound. Is it worth it? Yes!
The three main reasons are 1) Nutritional Quality, 2) Texture/Flavor and 3) Digestive Benefits. I will explain very briefly below.
Nutritional Quality
- Imported Italian pasta is made from durum wheat. Durum has a higher concentration of protein and fiber than other wheat commonly used in the US. Protein promotes fullness and the fiber content aids and slows your digestion. This prevents blood sugar spikes while also promoting fullness. Think about the portion sizes of pasta in Italy. They are always smaller, yet equally if not more satisfying.
Texture & Flavor
- Pasta in Italy is served “al dente” for a reason. Yes, it tastes better than mush. But the toothsome nature again slows digestion which prevents insulin spikes and that “rebound” hunger effect.
- Bronze extruded pasta that is slow dried has a rough texture. You can see it and feel it. This is done intentionally because it allows the sauce to adhere better to the pasta. It actually impacts the flavor!
Digestive Benefits
- Pasta from durum semolina has a much lower glycemic index than other refined carbohydrates. Again, this promotes a feeling of fullness, smaller portion sizes and better insulin/blood sugar management.
A pound of pasta, or better yet, 500 grams of pasta is enough to feed a family of four. What other dinner can you make for $1.00 – $1.25 per person. Try some of these pastas!
~ While I was preaching about pasta, the lentils finished cooking. The tomatoes have disintegrated and the sauce has taken on a much browner color. Perfetto! ~
All that is left to do is cook the pasta – al dente please – and then drain to your condimento. Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water in case you need to thin the sauce. (I used maybe 1/4 cup) The gorgeous pasta below is the Rummo brand, as pictured in the “Mis en Place” photo above.
We drank the 2015 Gagliole Pecchia, a 100% Sangiovese from Panzano. It was a total gem, and is in a great spot right now to enjoy. A separate article about that wine will be forthcoming.
~ Plated and ready to go. The Gods of Fortune are pleased and so were we. Buon Anno! ~
This coming year, Tuscan Vines will turn 15! We’ll be doing some exciting things to celebrate the milestone and hopefully continue to evolve my coverage of Italy for the better. In the meantime, Buon Anno!
Salute!
