Pasta and Lentils

Photo: flickr user Brett L.

Ingredients

5 cups water

3/4 cup lentils

2 lrg garlic cloves crushed

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped canned plum tomatoes with some juice

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

1/2 pound vermicelli or capellini,

small or tubular pasta, or pasta mista

2 tablespoons finely-cut or snipped parsley - (rounded)

Extra-virgin olive oil

Hot red pepper flakes or hot pepper oil

Preparation

In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a rolling boil, add the lentils, and cook, covered over a medium-high heat, until nearly but not entirely tender, about 20 minutes.

Add the garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat, cover and continue to simmer briskly for another 10 minutes, stirring a few times, or until the lentil are fully tender.

If using capellini, break it into 2- to 4-inch pieces and add them to the lentils. Cook, covered, at a steady simmer, stirring several times and scraping the bottom of the pot when you do. Cook until the pasta is just done, stirring more frequently as it gets closer to that point.

If using a small tubular pasta or pasta mista, cook the pasta at least halfway in plenty of salted boiling water. Drain the pasta, add it to the lentils, and simmer to finish cooking the pasta.

When either pasta is cooked to taste, remove the pot from the heat, stir in the parsley, cover the pot, and let stand about 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot, passing hot pepper oil and the best quality extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling on top.