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Pastry Sheets with Lentil Cream and Cotechino

17/11/2023

Pastry Sheets with Lentil Cream and Cotechino are a dish that blends tradition and innovation, combining a typical element of the Italian New Year’s period, cotechino with lentils, in a new and appetizing way. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 200 g of lentils (already cooked)
  • 1 precooked cotechino
  • 1 small onion
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Puff pastry (1 roll if bought ready-made)
  • 1 egg (for brushing)
  • Aromatic herbs to taste (rosemary, bay leaf)

Preparation

  1. First, prepare the cotechino according to the instructions on the package. Usually, the precooked cotechino should be pricked in a few places with a toothpick and then cooked in boiling water for about 20 minutes.

  2. While the cotechino is cooking, prepare the lentil cream. In a pan, sauté the finely chopped onion with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil until it becomes transparent.

  3. Add the cooked lentils (if you are using dried ones, remember to have soaked them the night before and then cooked them), and let them flavor for a few minutes together with the onion. Add a pinch of salt, pepper, and aromatic herbs.

  4. Transfer the lentils to a blender and blend to obtain a cream. If necessary, add a little cooking water to achieve the desired consistency.

  5. Once cooked, cut the cotechino into cubes or thin slices.

  6. Roll out the puff pastry and cut out discs or squares depending on the type of presentation you prefer.

  7. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Place a spoonful of lentil cream and a few pieces of cotechino on each sheet of pastry. Close the pastry on itself if you have decided to make half-moons or small bundles, or leave it open to serve it like a mini pizza.

  8. Brush the surface of the puff pastry with a beaten egg to give it a nice golden color when baking.

  9. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown and crispy.

  10. Serve the pastry sheets with lentil cream and cotechino hot as a starter or main course, accompanied by a green salad if you like.

Curiosity

This dish is a contemporary twist on the traditional combination of cotechino and lentils, which in Italy symbolizes abundance and good fortune for the new year. By bringing this innovative dish to the table, you’ll add a modern touch without forgetting tradition.