This hearty dish is a bowl full of comfort. Pasta and legume dishes are very popular across Italy but really originate from a place of necessity. Considered to be a peasants dish, pasta e fagioli, or pasta with beans, are dishes that were historically eaten by poor families, as they were filling and full of important nutrients. While my family prepared many different pasta e fagioli dishes, lenticchie e pasta was my favorite. My mom made this for our family frequently and was sure to make it for me whenever I came back home. Now I prepare this dish for my own daughters, and they love it.
This dish couldn’t be easier to make – everything simmers in the pot together for about an hour and gets mixed together with your favorite short pasta. A drizzle of olive oil right before the dish is served brings the flavors together. It is packed with nutrients and protein, costs next to nothing make, and will keep you full for hours.
Lenticchie e Pasta | Pasta with Lentils
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
- 2-3 shallots, sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 lb short pasta, such as Ditalini
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions
- In a heavy bottomed pot, add lentils, tomatoes, slice shallots, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper and water. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer over low heat for about an hour.
- After about 40 minutes, in a medium size pot, begin to boil water for pasta. Salt the water with about a tablespoon of salt. When the water is boiling, boil the pasta for 6-8 minutes, until al dente.
- Drain pasta and add to the pot of lentils. Cook the pasta and lentils together for about 3-5 minutes more on low heat, until pasta is desired consistency. Drizzle the olive oil over the pasta and stir to combine. Serve immediately.
