Lentil Pasta Recipe – Dream Woman Favorite
Ever since my dream woman – or rather, the woman who dreamed of me, found my blog, and wants to meet – ever since we first connected, I’ve gotten to know her culinary tastes.
Italian. No seafood. Nothing spicy. Italian.
No problem. I learned how to cook Italian from hanging out in the kitchen of my ex-wife’s mom. She’s an Italian immigrant who can make a feast out of nothing. I know a thing or two about how to cook in the Italian style.
One of my kids and my favorite dishes, and one that’s sure to be a hit with my dream woman, is lentil pasta. (Several readers asked for the recipe via email and blog comments, so get your printers warmed up.) I have to admit, I got some help on this one from the world’s greatest Italian cookbook: Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, by Marcella Hazan.
This cookbook starts with the basics. Flavor, in Italian dishes, builds up from the bottom. It is not a cover, it is a base. You can read the book without cooking anything, and still find contentment.
Ms. Hazan actually calls this recipe lentil soup with pasta, but I let the water boil off and end up with a lentil-like sauce. Note: you don’t have to chop all the ingredients ahead of time. Just start cooking, and add each ingredient after it’s cut. Give the pot a stir each time you toss in a new ingredient.
Lentil Pasta Recipe, a Healthy Meal Plan
In a stockpot, pour 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil. Turn heat to medium.
Add ¼ pound of bacon, chopped. If you don’t eat bacon, you can leave this out, no problem.
Add ½ an onion, chopped fine. White or yellow, whatever you have.
Add 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped fine.
Add 3 stalks of celery, chopped. Celery is a magic ingredient that this dish requires.
Add a handful of chopped parsley. If you don’t have it, no worries. But it’s a nice addition.
Let this simmer until the vegetables are deeply colored. Ms. Hazan says about 15 minutes, but I figure it takes 10-12 minutes to get all the ingredients in the pot, so I just let it go a few more minutes.
Add a can of diced tomatoes and stir to coat well. Let this cook a few minutes.
Add a cup of lentils.
Add water to cover all the ingredients by an inch. (That’s 2.54 cm for the rest of the world)
Let this all simmer until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. Ms. Hazan suggests continually adding water to keep that 2.54 cm depth (that’s an inch for all you bloody Americans). But that’s for soup. I ignore that step and just let it cook.
When lentils are tender, add 1 ½ cups of short tubular pasta. My kids and I like mezze penne, but you might try salad macaroni, or something else. Experiment. Short and tubular can be interpreted a lot of ways.
At this point, I add some salt, pepper, and cumin, and let that cook in. The cumin is something my kids and I discovered and like a lot. Ms. Hazan only adds salt and pepper, and she waits to do that until the pasta is cooked. I’m sure her recipe is way better than mine, but whatever. I like how I cook.
When the pasta is done, typically 8-10 minutes – “tender, but firm to the bite” – you’re done! Serve with grated parmesan cheese.
This dish goes great with a martini, negroni, or a good bottle of wine. If you’re a mojito fan, by all means, don’t let me stop you.
As for my dream woman, tune in Monday for an update.
Better yet, subscribe to the RSS Dad’s House Feed (or email feed), and be the first to know…
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- Pasta With Peas Recipe
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- Grilled Salmon Recipe
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Comment by Cathouse Teri
| September 26th, 2008
Just one thing. I now use only sweet onions in any recipe. Makes a fantastic difference!
So, why exactly haven’t you met this dreaming woman yet?
Cathouse Teri’s last blog post..Across the Universe
Comment by The Exception
| September 26th, 2008
This looks delicious. Ever add a bit of white wine to the dish?
Wow, you have yet to meet and yet, you are already planning menus to suit her tastes… Olalla! ;)
The Exception’s last blog post..A Venture into the Red Light District
Comment by mama llama
| September 26th, 2008
As one who can botch just about any recipe, I very much appreciate the very guided directions.
My gift is gardening, NOT kitchening.
Thanks! Looking forward to hearing all about HER!!! Have a great weekend, Dads, and be well.
mama llama’s last blog post..racing clouds
Comment by T
| September 26th, 2008
Yum! I can’t wait to try this!!
No seafood?!? Wow! My soldier once told me that he doesn’t eat lobster and I nearly fell over. I told him, “Um… I have to hang up the phone now.”
Yeah, I can eat some seafood. And I’m from Louisiana so don’t stand between me and a big pile of piping hot boiled crawfish with corn and potatoes either!!
But I digress…
This does sound good. I will try it with the kiddos and see if they like it. Sounds perfect for fall weather too!
T’s last blog post..What the hell was I thinking?
Comment by Single Mom Seeking
| September 26th, 2008
I think I know what’s for dinner tonight…. Thanks!
Comment by Paunchiness
| September 26th, 2008
That looks pretty healthy. I’m headed to the grocery store now with a print out of your post. This is going to be delicious.
Comment by Mad Cartoonist
| September 26th, 2008
No seafood? Nothing spicy?
…reminds me of an ex BF who “wouldn’t eat” onions. Yeah, onions. He was a puzzling guy to cook for.
Comment by dadshouse
| September 26th, 2008
Teri – the dreamy woman is moving to the Bay Area. Things are still good. I’ll update on Monday.
Note on this recipe – my son actually prefers this without the bacon, and my daughter and I like it with the bacon. Also, the cumin was a total experiment on our part and we all really liked that. My kids love eating healthy to fuel their sports (soccer, lacrosse, track, cross country, and sitting on their butts in front of the TV)
Comment by Cathouse Teri
| September 26th, 2008
MC ~ My guy hates onions, too. And it is a challenge. I don’t mind a man who is a picky eater, as long as he doesn’t expect me to conform to his ideas! In other words, we go out to eat a lot. :)
And he’s totally worth any amount of puzzlement.
Cathouse Teri’s last blog post..Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
Comment by Cathouse Teri
| September 26th, 2008
Incidentally, Dads, I didn’t call her a dreamy woman. I called her a dreaming woman. Time will tell whether she’s dreamy or not. ;)
(Dear Dreamy: If you are reading this, I’m just kidding. We just gotta have a skeptic somewhere and it always seems to be me! In truth, I do wish all the best to you both.)
Cathouse Teri’s last blog post..Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
Comment by dadshouse
| September 26th, 2008
Cathouse Teri – LMAO! Dear Dreamy…
You’re right, you said dreaming, not dreamy. I’m getting it all jumbled between dreamland and real life.
I think my dreamy woman and I did some you-know-what-us on my leather couch last night… in my dreams, anyway! (TMI. Sorry)
Comment by Mad Cartoonist
| September 26th, 2008
cathouse teri, yes, but the other half of me keeps saying that my kids are picky enough to cook for!
My current BF thankfully likes everything in the food dept (even my cooking!), but he’s on a diet. :( Which is good for his health I suppose (tho’ I think he looks way fine as is) but it makes me feel guilty when we go out and I want steak, dessert etc. Like I’m contributing to his diet downfall by exposing him to temptations. Oh well!
Dadshouse, huh? you haven’t even met in person this dreamy woman yet? You better do so soon before the well-known cyber-fantasy reality-disconnect syndrome sets in! Nothing dooms a relationship more than too many expectations.
Comment by Cathouse Teri
| September 26th, 2008
Dads ~ I asked you a bunch of questions over at my place… please to respond. :)
MC ~ Yes, many people cater to the picky eating of the children. Especially mothers. I think it’s kind of the fear of them dying of starvation or something. Which, of course, they won’t.
I managed to get my kids to love, love, love my cooking. They would fall down and worship me at dinnertime. My trick? I made sure they were damn hungry by the time it was ready. :)
Cathouse Teri’s last blog post..Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
Comment by NewWrldYankee
| September 26th, 2008
Woohoo!! Thanks for fulfilling my request! I am making this tomm. My roommate grants you eternal thanks in advance.
NewWrldYankee’s last blog post..Remember Watching the Evening News?
Comment by Mad Cartoonist
| September 26th, 2008
Cathouse, if only! When her Dad & I split up my little girl was 5 yrs old and basically stopped eating. And no, she didn’t naturally start again when she got hungry, like I expected her to. She just got skinnier and skinnier. Months and several doctor visits later, I finally got her with much effort, to eat a very limited (but healthy) diet. & I had to stand over her to make sure she ate enough of even that! It took 6+ months for her to start to fill out again and stop looking like a famine victim. It’s been 3 yrs since that scare and tho she’s loosened up a little on what she deems acceptable to eat, but she’s still v picky–won’t even eat candy. Her twin brother on the other hand eats everything, always has. I don’t make a drama of it, we go out to eat or over to friend’s houses quite often (if she doesn’t like it, she just doesn’t eat anything), and I cook at lot of different stuff for myself, her bro, & my BF (and she likes to help me cook). But I’m hoping that maybe by the time she’s a teenager she’ll finally get interested in something other than chicken nuggets!
Comment by Cathouse Teri
| September 26th, 2008
AW…. MC…. so sad! Dang, kids go through some shit, don’t they?
I’m glad things are working out. We all need our heroes. :)
Cathouse Teri’s last blog post..Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
Comment by krn
| September 26th, 2008
Mmmmmmmm, this recipe sounds delicious for a post soccer Saturday dinner. Our soccer games are often rainy, cold, muddy and slippery, so hot soup will be perfect.
Can’t wait for an update! :)
Comment by NewWrldYankee
| September 27th, 2008
bacon cooked or uncooked?
Comment by dadshouse
| September 27th, 2008
Start with uncooked bacon, and toss it in the pot first. It will cook while you are chopping other ingredients.
Comment by single mommy
| September 28th, 2008
A man that cooks… yum
single mommy’s last blog post..How do I fix this one?