Pasta with lentils

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 stalk(s) Celery
• 2 small cans of tomatoes, peeled
• 1 gr. can/n lentils, alternatively dried lentils
• 2 carrots
• 4 slices of pork belly
• 5 fennel seeds, dried
• 1 chili pepper(s)
• 250 g pasta (rigatoni/penne)

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 40 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 10 minutes

pasta and lentils

Finely chop the garlic, celery, and carrots. Cut the pork belly into small, bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and add all the ingredients to the hot olive oil and sauté. Once the meat is seared, add the fennel. In the meantime, rinse the lentils (if using canned lentils) in a sieve and season with a little salt and pepper (soak dried lentils in water the day before). Meanwhile, place the canned tomatoes in a sieve and rinse with water. Only the whole tomatoes should remain. Do not use canned tomato sauce. Then add the tomatoes and lentils to the pot and bring to a boil. Top up with water until everything is covered by about half a finger’s breadth. Simmer for about 1.5 hours. After the cooking time, increase the heat again, add the chili and pasta, and cook until al dente. Do not cook in separate water. Serve with plenty of coarse pepper. Tip: Tastes even better the next day.