Recipes

Gratin of Lentil and Spinach

Gratin of Lentils & Spinach

Mum’s tip: I have used this as a vegetarian meal as well as an accompaniment to a main course. The spinach and basil in the sauce give an amazing flavour. It seems a bit fiddly to do, you just need to do everything in the right order. Puy lentils are best.

Source: Sharon Adkin

Serves 5

Ingredients

  • 7 oz spinach
  • 5 oz brown or green lentils. Puy lentils if you can get them
  • 7 oz ricotta cheese
  • 1½ oz brown or white breadcrumbs
  • 1½ oz Parmesan cheese
  • A drizzle of olive oil

For the tomato sauce

  • 2½ Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • A generous sprig of thyme
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 100 ml red wine
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes (1 x 14Fl Oz)
  • 1 Tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 Tbsp golden caster sugar
  • ½ oz basil leaves, roughly torn

Directions

To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a wide, deep saucepan. Add the onion and cook until tender and translucent. Now add the garlic, thyme and coriander and stir about for a few seconds. Pour in the red wine and let it bubble up until most of it boils away.

Tip in the tomatoes, puree and sugar, then season. Bring up to the boil, then simmer until thick, stirring occasionally. This will take around 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, rinse the spinach, drain and pat dry with clean kitchen towels. Stir into the tomato sauce with the basil as soon as it is done. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Cook the lentils in a large pan of boiling, unsalted water until just tender but still firm enough to hold their shape, around 15-20 minutes. Drain well, then stir into the tomato and spinach sauce.

Pour the lentil mixture into a shallow ovenproof gratin dish. Scoop out dessert spoonfuls of the ricotta and dot them over the surface of the gratin, pushing them down gently into the sauce, then mix the breadcrumbs with the Parmesan and sprinkle evenly over the top. Drizzle with olive oil, then leave to cool completely if not using that day.

To cook preheat the oven to 392° F (200° C/gas mark 6) and bake for 25-30 minutes until sizzling and deliciously patched with brown.