Ragù di lenticchie (Lentil Ragu)

Frank2 January 2021pasta, pastas, soups and risottos/primi piatti59 Comments

As long time readers may remember, my very favorite pasta when I was a kid was Angelina’s austerely simple but delicious pasta e lenticchie (Pasta with Lentils). I liked it so much so that most of the time I’d prefer to eat pasta e lenticchie even over her extraordinary Sunday lasagna.

So when I found out about this vegan version of the classic Bolognese ragù using lentils instead of ground meat, I just had to try it, even though I’m not vegan myself. And I certainly wasn’t disappointed. This meatless ragù is incredibly flavorful and interestingly quite different from Angelina’s dish.

Every bit as appealing, if you ask me, as the classic dish that inspired it, you can serve ragù di lenticchie in just about all the same ways: to dress tagliatelle as pictured here, and many other pastas— even in Bolognese style lasagne. (See Notes below for some recommendations.)

And if you have lentils leftover from New Year’s Eve, there’s a way to recycle them as ragù. For the economy minded like me, that may be the best news so far this year…

Ingredients

250g (1/2 lb) lentils (see Notes)
1 small onion, finely minced
1 small carrot, finely minced
1/2 stalk celery, finely minced
A splash of white wine
500g (1 lb) passata di pomodoro or milled canned tomatoes
500 ml (2 cups) water, plus more as needed
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
A bay leaf (optional)

Directions

In a casserole, preferably made of terracotta or enameled cast iron, gently sauté the onion, carrot and celery in abundant olive oil until the vegetables have softened.

Add the lentils and mix. Let it all simmer gently for a few minutes, then add a splash of the wine and let it evaporate.

Add the passata and water, along with the bay leaf if using. Simmer gently, uncovered, for a good hour or more, until the lentils are fully tender but not falling apart. Add more water as needed to keep the lentils just barely covered with liquid. (For me, I needed more water every 15 minutes or so. Lentils absorb a lot of liquid as they cook.)

Perhaps 15 minutes or so before the lentils are done, season to taste with salt and pepper. Adjust also for liquid. Your lentil ragù should be thick but pourable, just as a meat-based ragù would be.

Notes on Ragù di lenticchie (Lentil Ragù)

For making your ragù di lenticchie, you’ll want a smaller lentil will keep its shape while it cooks. In Italy, you might opt for the famous lenticchie di Casteluccio, from the eponymous small town not far from Perugia, in the central Italian region of Umbira. (In the US, you can order them online from Amazon; Gustiamo carries a different but similar lentil from Poggio Aquilone, also in Umbria.) Easier to find on these shores, the French green lentils will also work admirably. While some recipes call for pre-soaking the lentils, these days I find most lentils don’t really need it.

As in many Italian recipes, the measurements vary widely, can in particular as regards the amount of tomato vs lentil. Most recipes hover around the 2:1 ratio by weight given here, but you’ll find some with less, down to 1:1, for a version that’s practically in bianco. But then, you risk losing the whole conceit that you’re preparing a ragù. I like a middle ground, with enough tomato to add color and some flavor, but letting the lentil “star” as the main ingredient, just as when I’m making a meat based ragù.

Besides bay leaf, other herbs can be added to perfume your ragù di lenticchie. Rosemary is particularly popular, as it pairs well with lentils and other legumes. Personally, however, I find its flavor a bit too assertive for this dish. A sprig of fresh thyme is a popular option as well.

Choosing Your Pasta

As for types of pasta to dress with your ragù di lenticchie, I’d go for the same shapes that you might consider for a ragù made with meat: ribbon shaped pastas like tagliatelle, as pictured. here, fettuccine or pappardelle, or else a short pasta like rigatoni, are all classic choices. But I’ve seen recipes for ragù di lenticchie with all sorts of pasta shapes: calamarata, ditali, conchiglie, fusilli, casarecce, farfalle—and even used in Bolognese-style lasagne as you would a meat-based ragù. But as with a classic ragù alla bolognese, it’s best to avoid long thin shapes like spaghetti or linguine. The popularity of “spag bol” across The Pond notwithstanding, it’s an awkward match.

Making Ahead and Using Leftover Lentils

Ragù di lenticchie can be made ahead. In fact, like a lot of legume dishes, it only develops better flavor the next day. Just adds some water to loosen it up (lentils absorb a lot of liquid and just keep absorbing even when they’re fully cooked) and gently reheat them.

And if you have some leftover cooked lentils—say, from New Year’s Eve—you can turn them into a ragù by following the above recipe but holding back the lentils and water, as if you were preparing a sugo finto. When the tomatoes have well reduced, add the lentils and perhaps a glassful of water. Let everything simmer together until the lentils have reheated. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

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