Versatile Lentils
Mar 18th, 2008 | By Peter Minakis | Category: Greek, Legume, Main, Pasta, Pork, Sauce
Today, I’m sticking with lentils to show you all that they are indeed a versatile legume. Us Greeks usually have them in a soup called Fakkes.
Yesterday I showed you how delicious and easy braised lentils can be and today, I’m using up leftovers to make a tasty, hearty pasta.
An oft-used pasta in Greek cookery is “kofta makaronia” or cut macaroni. The Italian term for this pasta is Tubetti.
I’m labeling this dish Greco-Italiano as I’ve combined a Greek based recipe (braised lentils) and I’m using Italian pasta (Tubetti) and some smoked thick-cut bacon from a Polish deli.
The base for this dish is my leftover braised lentils. Now I’m not asking you to make this pasta from scratch but if you’re so inclined to make some braised lentils, I highly recommend using your leftovers to make this delicious pasta dish. It’s ready in 15 minutes!
Tubetti With Lentils and Smoky Bacon
(for 4)
350gr. pkge of Tubetti pasta
1/2 cup diced smoky bacon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 cup cup of chicken/vegetable stock
1 cup braised lentils (1/2 cup reserved)
4 ripe plum tomatoes, diced
(canned or fresh)
reserved pasta water
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp, chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil
freshly grated lemon zest
- Get a large pot of water boiling. Add a generously amount of salt and cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- In a small pot, heat up your stock and bring to a boil. Add JUST a 1/2 cup of your braised lentils and stir for a few minutes and allow it to heat through. Take off the heat.
- Use a hand blender or food processor to puree the mixture. Reserve.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, add your diced bacon and saute for 5 minutes or until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
- In the same skillet, drain any excess grease (leave some) and return to a medium heat. Add your onions, garlic and tomatoes and simmer for 5, allowing the veggies to soften and the sauce to thicken. Add the pureed lentil sauce, the remaining 1/2 cup of braised lentils, the dried oregano and simmer to heat through and reduce to a thick sauce.
- Your pasta should be about ready, reserve some pasta water and drain your Tubetti.
- Toss your pasta into the sauce and stir to coat. Add some pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Continue to stir until you achieve your desired consistency. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper
- Plate the pasta and drizzle with good extra-virgin olive oil, chopped parsley and some grated lemon zest.
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© 2008, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.
Ayyyy! I love this! Perfection in just minutes! Lentils and pasta, a very good combo of flavor and texture.
We’re having lamb tonight and it’s because of you I now wish we were having pasta!!!!
looks delicious, as always, Peter. I love lentils so much now; I can’t believe I wouldn’t touch fakkes as a kid. I was missing out!
Guess what, we are also having lentils tonight. Yours looks so delicious that we might have lentils 2 nights in a row.Yum
Guess what, we are also having lentils tonight. Yours looks so delicious that we might have lentils 2 nights in a row.Yum
Guess what, we are also having lentils tonight. Yours looks so delicious that we might have lentils 2 nights in a row.Yum
Guess what, we are also having lentils tonight. Yours looks so delicious that we might have lentils 2 nights in a row.Yum
Guess what, we are also having lentils tonight. Yours looks so delicious that we might have lentils 2 nights in a row.Yum
Guess what, we are also having lentils tonight. Yours looks so delicious that we might have lentils 2 nights in a row.Yum
Guess what, we are also having lentils tonight. Yours looks so delicious that we might have lentils 2 nights in a row.Yum
Guess what, we are also having lentils tonight. Yours looks so delicious that we might have lentils 2 nights in a row.Yum
Guess what, we are also having lentils tonight. Yours looks so delicious that we might have lentils 2 nights in a row.Yum
Oh yummmm! But alas we are having pizza…can I put lentils on pizza??? Lol!
Perfect, quick, tasty dinner. The combination looks great!
I’d like to eat lentils more… I just don’t think to do so. This looks like a quick & easy dinner!
That looks great, and so flavorful!
I like using that short little pasta. Seems it is not as filling as the big penne, etc. Ah, adding that smoked bacon just sets it off! Delicious!
You got me hungry Pete! Pasta, smoked bacon, lentils…mmm…can’t get better than that. Love the combination of ingredients.
Catherine, I’m having fun with leftovers…of late! lol
Pixie, I’ll have your lamb, you my pasta, Um-K?
Elly, I was like you as a kid…shunned all the delicious Greek foods like lentils.
Nina, your lentils looked fab too!
Judy, Ix-nay on the lentils on the Pizz-ay!
Annmarie, despite the steps, this was a quick din-din.
Lori, through my blog, you have 3 ways to do lentils.
Jessie (and pooch), thanks!
Deb, the bacon gave it some back bone.
Pete, I was surprised that lentils would make such a great pasta dish.
Oh resourceful one – my fridge needs cleaning out – could you please come and whip up something wonderful from my leftovers.
Bacon, what a great way to help get into lentils!
Nom nom nom
This looks like perfect comfort food. Ever put cheese on it? I think some Pecorino Romano would be good (it’s good on everything).
Great way to use your leftovers! This looks great, especially with that thick cut bacon.
That is a perfect leftover dish. You should make a video on how to make pasta from scratch. That’d be a lot of fun, don’t you think?
This looks delicious – lentils never looked so good as in this pasta.
Giz, anytime…but you’re still doing dishes! ;)
Kevin, bacon makes everything better.
Heather, I sampled some cheese with it but the tartness didn’t play well with the fromage. No worries, I gots cheese out of the ying-yangs in other dishes coming up.
Allen, this bacon is a fabulous product.
Ben, I might dabble with video in the summer.
Cake, I’m trying to add more lentils to my diet.
Bacon does make everything taste better! A little fiber and a little fat, yummm
Now that is a great sounding pasta dish, Peter!
I love lentils with pasta! And, of course, I always make enough to have leftovers… I just have to make rather a lot because so many get the ‘spoon in the fridge’ treatment before I get a chance to make another meal…
Oh well, those calories don’t count anyway!
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