Gnocchi with Lentil & Sausage Ragù
|
|
Time to read 2 min
In Italy, one of the most popular dishes to enjoy on New Year’s is cotechino con lenticchie – plump pork sausage gently simmered and served over a bed of stewed lentils.
Similar to the way Americans eat black-eyed peas and collard greens for good luck and fortune, Italians believe that eating coin-shaped lentils will bring you wealth and prosperity in the New Year. The succulent dish is often served with a side of pureed potatoes, perfect for soaking up all the rich juices from the cotechino sausage and stewed lentils.
Here we’re paying homage to this iconic dish, with potato gnocchi bathed in a rich sausage and lentil ragù.
Gnocchi with Lentil & Sausage Ragù
20 minutes
40 minutes
4
Ingredients
For the gnocchi:
400 grams potatoes
200 grams all-purpose flour, or 00 flour , sifted
1 whole egg, slightly beaten
A pinch of salt
For the lentil & sausage ragù:
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
olive oil
2 shallots, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, minced
1 celery stalk, minced
1 cup green or brown lentils
1 bay leaf
½ cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Special Equipment
Method
Make the gnocchi (see gnocchi recipe ).
In a wide pan, brown the sausage over medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon, leaving its juices in the pan, and set aside on a plate.
Add minced shallots, carrots, and celery to the remaining sausage fat in the pan (if you need to add a little bit of olive oil) and saute on medium-low heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the bay leaf and garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes, just until fragrant.
If using dry lentils, rinse them in cold water. If using canned, drain and rinse them. Add the lentils to the shallots, carrots, celery in the pan and toast them over high heat for 2 minutes.
Mix the tomato paste and red wine together, then add it to the lentils. Reduce until the red wine has mostly evaporated and the mixture is just starting to dry out. Add the water and simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes.
Add the sausage to the lentils. Season with salt. (It’s important to add salt at the end, otherwise, the lentils will remain hard).
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and generously salt it . Once the water is gently boiling, add the gnocchi and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the gnocchi rise to the surface. Use a slotted spoon to gently remove the gnocchi and add to the lentil and sausage sauce. Carefully fold the gnocchi in, until they are completely coated.
Serve on warm plates.