Zucchini à la Jakubik

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kg zucchini
• 200 g lentils, red
• 400 ml vegetable stock
• 1 can of tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp sambal oelek
• 250 g ricotta
• 1 ball of mozzarella
• 2 tsp sugar
• Thyme
• salt and pepper
• oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour

with red lentils and ricotta

Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and cook the red lentils in an uncovered pan for 10 minutes until soft. Wash the zucchini and trim both ends. Then cut lengthwise into 0.5–1 cm thick slices and fry them in a pan with oil on both sides until well browned. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Stir the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, sambal oelek, sugar, and crushed garlic cloves into the lentils and simmer for 2–3 minutes over low heat. Season with thyme, salt, and pepper, and remove from the heat. In a heatproof baking dish, first arrange a layer of zucchini slices and season with salt and pepper. Then arrange the lentils on top, followed by half of the ricotta. Then another layer of zucchini (season with salt and pepper), lentils, and the other half of the ricotta. Then add more zucchini and lentil mixture, and finally, the mozzarella ball, torn into small pieces. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, until the zucchini is soft and the mozzarella is browned.