Pasta Lenticchie ala Piccola Nicolina

A recipe from Nicki –

Here’s another home style dish that you don’t see on a restaurant menu. Our mother served soup or some type of minestra for dinner every evening along with a second course. Monday pasta patate, Tuesday pasta piselli, Wednesday pasta lenticchie, etc.

Pasta Lenticchie ala Piccola Nicolina

Pick over the lentils and rinse them in a scolo pasta (colander). Set aside. Heat the olive oil in a 3-quart pot and add the carrots, garlic and celery. Sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the rinsed lentils, salt and pepper and stir. Add enough water to cover plus an inch and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until lentils are tender (about 40 minutes). Add the ditalini or broken spaghetti and cook for 8 minutes.

Note: always taste as you are cooking. Lentils and broken pasta vary in size therefore the cooking time may vary.

Green pepperoncini infused oil is good to drizzle on top of each serving. Please do not sprinkle cheese on this.

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