Riso E Lenticchie Rice And Lentils Food

RISO E LENTICCHIE (RICE AND LENTILS)

Steps:

• Start by making a soffritto: Sauté the pancetta in the lard or olive oil until it has rendered much of its fat and is just beginning to crisp. Add the onion and continue until the onion is soft and translucent, taking care not to brown it at all. Then add the garlic, give the soffritto a turn. If using tomatoes, add them now, and let them simmer until they melt into a little sauce.
• As soon as the garlic begins to give off its aroma, add the pre-soaked lentils, which you will have rinsed under cold water and drained very well. Mix the lentils and soffritto well, and let the lentils simmer for a few minutes to absorb the flavors.
• [NB: Many recipes have you simmer the lentils separately before adding them to the soffritto, but here I've opted for the one-pot approach. I haven't seen that it makes much difference to the end result.]
• Then add enough water or broth to cover the lentils by about 3 cm/1 inch. Cover and simmer the lentils over low heat for about 30 minutes or so, until the lentils are just about tender, stirring from time to time and checking to make sure they haven't dried out. (Add more water or broth if needed.)
• Add the rice and a couple more ladlefuls of water or broth to the pot. Give it a stir and cover again, let the rice simmer until tender, about 10-20 minutes depending on the variety. Once again, stir from time to time and check to make sure things aren't drying out. Rice, like lentils, absorbs quite a bit of liquid.
• Serve hot, with one or more of the suggested toppings if those who like them.

RICE AND LENTILS

Steps:

• Drop the pancetta into the food processor bowl, and pulse several times, to chop the meat into small bits.
• Scrape all the chopped pancetta right into a heavy 5- to 6-quart saucepan.
• Put the onion, carrot, celery, and sage leaves into the empty food processor bowl, and mince together into a fine-textured paste or pestata.
• Put the butter and olive oil into the saucepan with the minced pancetta, and set over med-high heat.
• Cook, stirring, as the butter melts and the fat starts to render.
• When the pancetta is sizzling, scrape in the vegetable pestata, and stir it around the pan until it has dried and begins to stick, 4 minutes or so.
• Clear a space on the pan bottom and drop in the tomato paste, toast it in the hot spot for a minute, then stir together with the pestata.
• Increase the heat, pour in the wine, and cook, stirring, until the wine has almost completely evaporated.
• Pour in 8 cups of hot water and the tablespoon of salt, stir well, and heat to a boil (add all 10 cups of hot water if you want to serve the rice and lentils as a thick soup rather than a denser riso).
• Cover the pan, and decrease the heat slightly, to keep the water at a moderate boil, and let it bubble for 20 minutes or so, to deepen the flavors.
• Stir in the lentils, return to a gentle boil, and cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils just start to soften, 10-15 minutes.
• Stir in the rice, return to a bubbling simmer, and cook, cover ajar, until the rice is al dente, 13 minutes or so.
• If the dish is thickening more than you like, lower the heat and cover the pan completely.
• If it seems too thin, remove the cover and cook at a faster boil.
• When the rice and lentils are fully cooked, turn off the heat.
• Stir in the scallions and grated cheese.
• Serve in warm bowls, passing more cheese at the table.