Lentil Minestra

Ingredients

• Baguette Bread

  Budgens

  1 Baguette or 125g

• Garlic

  Raw

  3 clove or 9g

• Carrots

  Raw

  1 medium or 61g

• Fennel

  Bulb, raw

  ½ bulb or 117g

• Celery

  Raw

  1 stalk, medium or 40g

• Onions

  Raw

  1 medium or 110g

• Sage

  Spices, ground

  2 tsp or 1g

• Walnuts

  Nuts, english

  ¼ cup, chopped or 29g

• Fontina cheese

  2 oz or 57g

• Olive oil

  Salad or cooking

  2 tsp or 9g

• Salt

  Table

  1 dash or 0.4g

• Pepper

  Spices, black

  1 dash or 0.1g

• Tomato paste

  Canned, without salt added

  1 tbsp or 16g

• Lentils

  Raw

  1 cup or 192g

• Water

  Plain, clean water

  4 ½ cup or 1.07kg

• Parmesan cheese

  Low sodium

  ¼ cup, grated or 25g

Directions

1. Prepare the ingredients: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Slice the baguette in half lengthwise. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Peel the carrot and thinly slice into rounds. Halve the fennel; remove and discard the core. Small dice the fennel. Thinly slice the celery. Peel and small dice the onion. Pick the sage leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Roughly chop the walnuts. Thinly slice the Fontina cheese.
2. Crisp the sage: In a medium pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sage in a single, even layer; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute per side, or until dark green and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving any remaining oil in the pot; season the sage with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Start the minestra: Heat the pot of reserved oil on medium until hot. Add the garlic, carrot, fennel, celery and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the tomato paste. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until the tomato paste is dark red and fragrant.
4. Finish the minestra: Add the lentils and 4½ cups of water to the pot of vegetables; season with salt and pepper. Heat the mixture to boiling on high. Reduce the heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally, 18 to 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
5. Make the fontina walnut toast: While the lentils cook, place the sliced baguette halves on a sheet pan, cut sides up. Top with the Fontina cheese, walnuts and half of the Parmesan cheese; season with salt and pepper. Toast in the oven 7 to 9 minutes, or until the Fontina cheese has melted and the walnuts are lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and set aside in a warm place.
6. Plate your dish: Divide the finished minestra between 2 bowls. Serve with the Fontina-walnut toast on the side. Garnish the lentils and toast with the crispy sage and remaining Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!