Lentils and cotechino

A classic of Italian cuisine especially appreciated during the end-of-year festivities. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 400 g of dry lentils
• 1 cotechino (you can use the precooked one for simplicity)
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 stalk of celery
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Water or vegetable broth

Preparation

1. The night before, soak the lentils in plenty of water for at least 12 hours.
2. Finely chop the onion, carrot, and celery to prepare a sofrito.
3. In a large pot, sauté the sofrito with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and bay leaves.
4. Drain the lentils and add them to the sofrito in the pot. Cover with water or vegetable broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender (about 1 hour). Adjust salt and pepper during cooking.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the cotechino according to the package instructions. If it is precooked, it generally needs to be immersed in its bag in boiling water for about 20 minutes.
6. When the cotechino is cooked, let it cool slightly, then slice it.
7. Serve the hot lentils with slices of cotechino on top.

Curiosity

According to Italian tradition, lentils are a symbol of abundance and good fortune, which is why they are often eaten on New Year’s Day. The cotechino, with its round shape, symbolizes continuity and the cycle of life. In short, it’s a dish rich in meaning as well as flavor!

If you have particular preferences or dietary restrictions, let me know and I will try to adapt the recipe for you.