Yee Olde Newberry Family Cookery Book

Jamie Oliver – can perhaps be made more efficient?

2 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup dried lentils
20 g dried porcini mushrooms (flavoursome, could use more)
2 carrots
2 red onions (or other ones)
2 cloves garlic
2 sticks celery, chopped
Fresh sprig of rosemary
Fresh bay leaf
Optional: 7 tbsp red wine
2 cans diced tomatoes
12 oz spagetti (about 350g)

Place a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil. We’ll use it later for the pasta. Tip the lentils into a small pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for 12 minutes, or until tender. Drain, return to the pot and season lightly with sea salt, black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
Meanwhile, place the porcini into a small bowl, just cover with hot water and leave to rehydrate.
Halve and peel the onions. Trim the celery and finely chop along with the onion, garlic and carrot Pick and finely chop the rosemary leaves.
Heat a splash of olive oil in a medium pan over a medium-low heat, add the chopped veggies, bay leaf and rosemary, then cook gently with a lid on for 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally.
Turn the heat up to medium-high, pour in the red wine (if using), then leave to bubble and cook away.
Finely chop the porcini and add to the pan, along with the soaking water, leaving any gritty bits behind.
Tip in the tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon as you go, then add three-quarters of a cans worth of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a medium-low heat and cook for 10 minutes, adding the lentils as soon as they’re drained and ready.
Cook the spaghetti in the pot of boiling salted water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente, which means that it should be soft enough to eat, but still have a bit of bite and firmness to it.
Pick the thyme leaves into a bowl, add the bread crumbs and 1½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then toss to coat. Toast in a dry pan over a medium heat until lightly golden.
Remove the bay leaf and mash the sauce gently with a potato masher or fork, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Scoop out and reserve a cupful of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti and tip back into the pan. Add the sauce and mix together, loosening with splashes of cooking water, if needed.
Divide between your bowls, sprinkle with the herby bread crumbs, sprinkle over the cheese and serve