Recipe with lentils Italian style

Today I am sharing another dish perfect for Autumn. It is warm, hearty, and delicious; plus, it has all the Italian flavours we all love. Here is a recipe with lentils that you can make ahead, keep in the fridge, and eat for lunch or as a side for dinner. Let’s make it, shall we?

Ingredients

(This makes 2 to 3 large portions.)

1 can lentils (or 200 grams pre-cooked brown lentils)
2 large zucchini
2 medium tomatoes
2 garlic cloves or one to two tablespoons garlic pate`
2 jars country basil sauce
mozzarella cheese
extra virgin olive oil
salt, pepper to taste
dried or fresh oregano
fresh or frozen parsley
crumbled tarallini (optional)

Preparation

You want to start by prepping all the ingredients for this recipe with lentils, so you can then move to assembling your casserole.

The first thing to do is to slice your zucchini thinly (thinner than what I did) so they cook through and take less time. You could also pre-boil the zucchini slices for 5 minutes; this will ensure a faster baking.

Next, prepare the tomatoes and garlic by washing and slicing the first and peeling and dicing the garlic cloves. If you are using our garlic pate`, you can skip this last step.

Now, you can take your can of lentils, drain the excess water, rinse them a little, and place them in a bowl. Season them with salt, pepper, and oregano and drizzle a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil.

The final ingredient to prepare is your mozzarella cheese; cut it into medium slices. Feel free to use shredded mozzarella cheese instead.

It is now time to gather all your ingredients and start assembling your lentil casserole. First, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil at the bottom of the casserole.

Then, start layering the zucchini and tomatoes.

Next, cover the vegetables with all your lentils.

Top the lentils with the chopped garlic or the garlic pate`.

Time to drizzle that delicious extra virgin olive oil, like il Vero or our special one.. the Novello, when in season.

Pour the first jar of country basil sauce, and top with half of the sliced mozzarella cheese.

Layer the rest of your zucchini and tomatoes.

Pour the second jar of country basil sauce and add the oregano. Top with the mozzarella slices, and finish with the parsley.

Bake in the oven at 180 degrees Celcius for 40 minutes to one hour, depending on whether you have chosen to pre-boil your zucchini, and how thin you have sliced them.

Your delicious, hearty and healthy recipe with lentils is done. It’s time to serve and enjoy it.

Tips

It is better to start the cooking at the top level of your oven, and then continue at a lower level to avoid the top from burning. To make this even more delicious add the crumbled traditional tarallini at the top halfway through the cooking.