IN THE KITCHEN WITH NONNA

My husband had never tasted lentils before we were married. Perhaps this blessed food was not part of his English/German heritage. It was during a time in New York City when dollars were hard to come by that I first spent around 23 cents to buy a pound of lentils for dinner.

It has been a pleasant, tasty and important part of our diet ever since.

In Italy, my mother referred to lentils as a “biblical food,” and she was right. Lentils are mentioned four times in the Bible, and also in the Torah and the Koran. They are known as “a food that God gave the people.”

I first ate smooth-creamy lentils in Cento, Italy, in the village where our family has lived for centuries. During World War II, life there was extremely difficult. My mother wanted her children to eat meat to boost our blood and heart health, but there was no meat available because there was no refrigeration. So, like all good Italian mothers, she called our doctor. I still remember his name: Dr. Falzoni Galerani.
He told us to eat lots of lentils. And we did. 

And we still do. 

Preparing lentils is easy. For a one pound package of lentils, follow these instructions: First, I always put them in a large bowl or pan and rinse them with water. (I’m told this is not a cleansing exercise, just an Italian tradition.) After rinsing, I put the lentils in a large pan and fill it halfway up with water, then set the burner on high. Before the water boils, I may add a few tablespoons of olive oil, small or sliced carrots, and three or four boullion cubes. I use chicken boullion, but any flavor adds substance to the taste. When the water boils, I turn down the heat to medium and let the lentils cook for an hour.

That's all it takes. Easy, quick, soothing, smooth. 

Pull out some saltines, sprinkle a little parmesan cheese over top, pour a glass of milk (or wine), and you have a meal. . . a delicious, healthful, pleasing meal. (And it's economical, too!)

- written by Margarita Feldman

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