Lentil Minestra

Ingredients

• Baguette

  Budgens

  1 Baguette or 125g

• Garlic

  raw

  3 clove or 9g

• Carrots

  raw

  1 medium or 61g

• Fennel bulb

  raw

  ½ bulb or 117g

• Celery

  raw

  1 stalk, medium or 40g

• Onion

  raw

  1 medium or 110g

• Ground sage

  2 tsp or 1g

• English walnuts

  ¼ cup, chopped or 29g

• Fontina cheese

  2 oz or 57g

• Olive oil

  2 tsp or 9g

• Salt

  table

  1 dash or 0.4g

• Black pepper

  ground

  1 dash or 0.1g

• Tomato paste

  canned, unsalted

  1 tbsp or 16g

• Lentils

  raw

  1 cup or 192g

• Water

  4 ½ cup or 1.07kg

• Parmesan cheese

  shredded

  ¼ cup or 20g

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 425° F. Wash and dry the produce. Split the baguette lengthwise. Thinly slice the garlic, carrot, celery, and onion; halve, core, and dice the fennel. Pick and chop the sage leaves. Roughly chop the walnuts and thinly slice the Fontina.
2. Warm the olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the sage in a single layer and fry until crisp, 30 to 60 seconds per side. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate; season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. In the same pot, add the garlic, carrot, fennel, celery, and onion; season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until darkened and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the lentils and water; season lightly. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are just tender, 18 to 20 minutes.
5. While the soup simmers, set the baguette halves cut side up on a sheet pan. Top evenly with Fontina, walnuts, and half of the Parmesan; season lightly. Bake until the cheese is melted and the walnuts are lightly toasted, 7 to 9 minutes.
6. Ladle the minestra into bowls. Serve with the Fontina–walnut toasts and garnish with the crispy sage and remaining Parmesan.