Maultaschen gratin with lentils

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 120 g lentils, green
• 120 g Puy lentils
• 3 shallots
• 1 large carrot(s)
• ½ stalk(s) leek
• 80 g bacon
• 2 tbsp clarified butter
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 800 ml instant chicken stock
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp mustard, medium hot
• 200 g Emmental cheese
• 8 Maultaschen
• Butter for the mold
• 50 g butter flakes for sprinkling
• 1 onion(s)
• 1 bunch of spring onions
• Flour for dusting
• oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 13 hours

Soak the lentils overnight. Peel the shallots. Wash and peel the carrot. Dice both ingredients. Trim, wash, and dice the leek. Dice the bacon. Sauté everything in heated lard. Drain the lentils and add them. Stir in the tomato paste and pour in the broth. Cook over medium heat until almost all the liquid has been absorbed and the lentils are tender. Season with salt, pepper, and mustard, and let cool slightly. Dice half the cheese and coarsely grate the other half. Halve the Maultaschen. Mix the cheese cubes into the lentils. Grease a gratin dish. Add the lentils. Place the Maultaschen halves into the lentils, sprinkle with grated cheese and knobs of butter. Place the dish in the preheated oven at 200°C (top/bottom heat) and bake for about 25 minutes. Peel the onion and cut into rings. Trim and wash the spring onions, and also cut into rings. Dust the onion rings with flour and fry in heated oil until golden brown. Serve the gratin sprinkled with fried onions and spring onions.