LITTLE BAKED LENTIL BASKETS STUFFED WITH WHATEVER YOU LIKE

A delicious recipe, ideal for aperitifs or dinners with friends, which I prepared for the first time for New Year’s Eve lunch. In Italy it is traditional to eat lentils on the first day of the year, as well as grapes. Why? Because they are round like coins and therefore can bring money all year round. If it were true! In any case, lentils are always served with the traditional cotechino or with other dishes, but most of the time they are served simply.

Then there are always some leftovers. So we decided to serve them differently.

Ingredients

lentils 200 gr.=1 US cup

carrot

1 stock celery

½ onion

Salt &  pepper to taste

1 egg

1 tbsp parmigiano

1 tbsp bread crumbs

4 tbsp E.V.O.O.

Tools

Muffin oven tray

Pan

Mezzaluna or chef  knife

Cutting board

 1 tea spoon

Preparation

Chop the onion, celery and carrot very finely (the mezzaluna is perfect for this soffritto)

Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into a pan, when hot add the chopped vegetables.

Cook for 5 minutes, add the lentils.

After two minutes, cover with plenty of water and add salt.

Let it cook for 20 minutes.

Drain the lentils. Don’t forget that their broth can be used for a soup.

Pour them into a bowl adding a pinch of salt, 1 egg, a spoonful of parmigiano, and breadcrumbs.

 Line the baking tray with baking paper

Place the mixture in spoonfuls, then press with your fingers in the center, so as to distribute the lentils on the base, making the mixture adhere well also on the sides, but without pressing too much to avoid the risk of holes forming.

Bake in the oven at 180°C/350°F for 10 minutes

In the meantime, prepare the filling, where you are free to indulge!

On these  lentils baskets we’ve poured a little fresh ricotta, some gorgonzola, some tortellini, some bechamel with ham but you can use some cherry tomatoes cut into pieces, some bacon and any pasta sauce.Actually whatever you like !

If they cool before serving, microwave them for 1 minute at medium temperature.

The dish is ready to go !

We always wonder if the lentils tradition is common everywhere,is it for you?