Sicilian Lentil Soup
You will need to seed and dice the plum tomatoes for this recipe. First, use a chef's knife and cut each tomato half lengthwise. Gently squeeze the tomato half over a bowl to remove the seeds and excess liquid. Next, cut each tomato half lengthwise into thin strips. Line up the strips and cut across into a dice. Repeat with the remaining tomato halves.
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
- 1 eggplant, about 1 lb., cut into small cubes
- 3 cups cooked green lentils
- 1 oz. ditalini, macaroni or other short pasta
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
Sauté the vegetables
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, the garlic, rosemary and eggplant. Cook, stirring frequently, until the eggplant is translucent and starts to soften, about 5 minutes.
Simmer the soup
Add the lentils, pasta, cinnamon and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the eggplant is tender and the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Ladle into soup bowls, drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Vegetarian, by Dana Jacobi (Oxmoor House, 2007).
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, the garlic, rosemary and eggplant. Cook, stirring frequently, until the eggplant is translucent and starts to soften, about 5 minutes.
Simmer the soup
Add the lentils, pasta, cinnamon and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the eggplant is tender and the pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
Ladle into soup bowls, drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Vegetarian, by Dana Jacobi (Oxmoor House, 2007).