Lentils and sausage: the recipe for the rich and hearty dish

Lentils and sausage is a dish that is not afraid of fashions, typical of the peasant tradition! No refined dinners or quick lunches, here we offer you one of those recipes with long cooking, where the scarpetta is a must... A rustic and hearty second course made with dried legumes, to be savored with a good glass of red wine, at home or perhaps in a village trattoria. This is the spirit that accompanies lentils and sausage: a simple and genuine cuddle to be enjoyed in company during the cold winter evenings, also ideal to serve as a well-wishing course on New Year's Eve as an alternative to the classic cotechino with lentils!

INGREDIENTS 

Sausage 450 g

Dried lentils 250 g

Tomato puree 250 g

Celery 1 coast

Carrots 1

Onions ½

White wine 50 g

Water 500 g

Rosemary 2 Twigs

Sage 4 leaves

Extra virgin olive oil 30 g

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Preparation

To make the lentils and sausage, first prepare the sauté by finely chopping the carrot, celery and onion. For more details you can consult our sheet on how to make the sauté. Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed pan, preferably cast iron. Pour in the chopped vegetables and let it wilt over low heat for about 10 minutes. In the meantime, rinse the lentils under running water and then let them drain in a colander. Remove the casing from the sausages and divide them into pieces. Finely chop the sage and rosemary. When the sauté is well stewed, add the sausages. Flavor with chopped herbs and brown over medium heat for 3 minutes, then deglaze with white wine. After the alcohol has completely evaporated, add the well-drained lentils. Pour in the tomato puree and water, stir to mix everything well. Cover with the lid and cook for 40 minutes over low heat. After this time, remove the lid, salt, pepper and continue cooking for another 40 minutes without the lid. After this time, complete with freshly ground pepper and a drizzle of oil, then garnish the dishes with a few fresh rosemary needles. Serve the lentils and sausage hot!

Preservation

Lentils and sausage can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for a couple of days. It is possible to freeze the preparation after cooking.

Advice

Accompany the lentils and sausage with fragrant toasted bread croutons! In addition to sage and rosemary you can also add a bay leaf. If you prefer to replace dried lentils with precooked lentils, the dose to be used is about 600 g: in this case it is advisable to add them 10 minutes before the end of cooking.