Ingredients
- 50 gr. dried green lentils
- olive oil
- 10 gr. dried porcini
- 1 red onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 stick celery
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 50 ml red wine, optional
- 400 gr. plum tomatoes
- 160 gr. wholewheat spaghetti
- a few sprigs fresh thyme
- extra virgin olive oil
- 40 gr. breadcrumbs
- 20 gr. Italian hard cheese
Method
- Tip the lentils into a small saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil.
- Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 12′, or until tender.
- Drain, return to the pan and season lightly with sea salt, black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Meanwhile, place the porcini into a small bowl, just cover with boiling water and leave to rehydrate.
- Peel the onion and garlic, trim the celery and finely chop together.
- Pick and finely chop the rosemary leaves.
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a medium pan over a medium-low heat, add the chopped veg, bay and rosemary, then cook gently with a lid on for 10′, or until softened, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high, pour in the red wine, if using, then leave to bubble and cook away.
- Finely chop the porcini and add to the pan, along with the soaking water, leaving any gritty bits behind.
- Tip in the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon as you go, then add half a tin’s worth of water.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce to a medium-low heat and cook for 10 minutes, adding the lentils as soon as they’re drained and ready.
- Cook the spaghetti in a pan of boiling salted water for 8 – 10′, or until al dente, which means that it should be soft enough to eat, but still have a bit of bite and firmness to it.
- Pick the thyme leaves into a bowl, add the breadcrumbs and ½ a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, then toss to coat.
- Toast in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until lightly golden, stirring regularly.
- Remove the bay leaf and mash the sauce gently with a potato masher, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Scoop out and reserve a cupful of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti and tip back into the pan.
- Add the sauce and mix together, loosening with splashes of cooking water, if needed.
- Divide between your bowls, sprinkle with the herby breadcrumbs, grate over the cheese and serve.