Italian tradition for New Year Eve: lentils with sausages

New Year Eve....do fireworks but respect the traditions...eat lentils with sausages...they bring good look and money next year..this a recurrent tradition in my family. 


Since I can remember sausages and lentils were on my family dinner table and today the same tradition is in my family!!! 


With your meal drink even a nice glass of sparkling wine!!!

This is the recipe for about 4-6 people:

• 1 1/2 cups green lentils
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 pound prociutto, pancetta, or bacon, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 small fennel bulb, diced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage with fennel
• 1 medium can of chopped tomatoes
• 1 small dried chili pepper, or red pepper flakes to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste

Soak lentils for about 12 hours, then put lentils in a pot of boiling, salted water; when the water boils again, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or according to package directions. Drain..

Saute the bacon, onion, carrot, fennel, shallot and garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet. When vegetable are soft, remove and brown the sausage in the same skillet. Set sausage aside on paper towels.

Remove all fat from the skillet and return the bacon and vegetables to the pan; add the tomatoes, hot pepper, and bay leaf, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the sausage and heat through, simmering for 5 minutes or more.

Season with salt and pepper and serve on a large platter.

Buon Anno!!