Rigatoni with lentils and porcini
New-season porcini, mostly imported from Italy and France, are being picked and dried now. There are some frozen whole porcini available, but I have always found these disappointing. Good dried porcini will have a powerful aroma. Avoid powder or tiny pieces, which are usually produced from secondary grades.
Ingredients
50g dried porcini
2 sticks of celery
3 cloves garlic
1 small onion
1 carrot
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
2 cups washed lentils
2 chopped ripe tomatoes
500g of rigatoni
a handful of chopped parsley
grated pecorino or parmesan
Method
Soak a handful (about 50g) of dried porcini in 2 cups of cold water. Before using, drain well and squeeze. Finely chop 2 sticks of celery, 3 cloves garlic, a small onion and a carrot. Heat 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan and fry the vegetables for 2 minutes until soft. Add 2 cups washed lentils and 2 chopped ripe tomatoes and cover with water. Simmer until the lentils are cooked (about 25-35 minutes), season with salt and pepper. Cook 500g of rigatoni and drain well. Toss the lentils with the pasta, drizzle on a little olive oil and add a handful of chopped parsley.
To serve
Serve with grated pecorino or parmesan.
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