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

  Shredded

  ¼ cup or 20g

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Wash and dry the produce. Slice the baguette in half lengthwise. Peel and thinly slice the garlic and carrot. Halve, core, and dice the fennel. Thinly slice the celery and dice the onion. Pick and chop the sage leaves. Roughly chop the walnuts and thinly slice the Fontina cheese.
2. In a medium pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sage leaves in a single layer and cook until crispy, about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
3. Using the same pot, add the garlic, carrot, fennel, celery, and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until dark red and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the lentils and 4½ cups of water to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 18 to 20 minutes.
5. While the lentils cook, place the baguette halves on a sheet pan, cut sides up. Top with Fontina cheese, walnuts, and half the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Toast in the oven for 7 to 9 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and walnuts are lightly toasted.
6. Divide the minestra between two bowls. Serve with the Fontina-walnut toast on the side. Garnish with crispy sage and remaining Parmesan cheese.