Green lentil and mushroom bolognese

Method

1. This is for a small slow cooker (1.5 to 3.5 litres). In a bigger one, double everything and freeze half. Rinse the lentils in a sieve until the water runs clear. Chop the mushrooms into small, even pieces, about 1 cm, and finely chop the onion, carrot and celery. Crush the garlic.
2. Put the lentils, mushrooms, onion, carrot, celery and garlic in the slow cooker. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, red wine, oregano and 250 ml of water, then crumble in the stock cube and stir. Browning the mushrooms in a pan first is optional and gives a deeper flavour, but the sauce is good without it.
3. Put the lid on and leave it on. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the lentils are tender and the sauce is thick and rich.
4. About 20 minutes before eating, cook the gluten-free pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for the time on the packet, then drain.
5. Stir the bolognese, mashing a few lentils against the side to thicken it, and season with salt and black pepper.
6. Toss the pasta with a ladleful of the sauce, then divide between bowls and spoon the rest on top.

Tip Swap the red wine for an extra splash of water and a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar if you have none open.

Photo made with AI.

From Nosha · nosha.app