Anna’s Lentil Stew
"The recipe featured today was one of Nonna’s all time classics; her Lentil soup.
Humble ingredients, outrageously tasty and actually pretty damn healthy. this dish was the original definition of ugly-delicious. - Anna Marcella
Sometimes preparing food can just be too complicated. When I think about what the essence of European food is, I think simplicity, I think minimalism and I think delicious. This recipe exudes those very things. When I asked Anna and Luke what dish they loved their Nonna cooking, they both said her lentil stew, served with crusty sourdough. This was their favourite. And I can absolutely see why.
Sometimes when I am making a stew or bolognaise, or even a stir fry and I lay out 13 different ingredients, it can feel way too complicated and even verge on stressful. I think overdoing the ingredients is me trying to make up for a childhood of boycotting any vegetable that wasn’t a potato. So, when I was making this beautiful and effortless meal, I was reminded that simple is enough. And you know what, sometimes simple is best. I met Anna a handful of times and every time, a slice of tiramisu was pulled from the fridge and placed in front of me. She exuded warmth and love. The true essence of a Nonna.
If there is someone I know who is a true master of words, it’s Anna Marcella - Anna’s granddaughter. It’s a gift. So, here she is to tell us about her beautiful Nonna.
Words from Anna Marcella.
I know everyone says this of their grandmothers, but my Nonna was one of a kind. Equal parts caring, sweet and just downright sneaky it shocked me to realise that last weekend was the tenth anniversary of her passing. Despite the length of time it's been, all it takes is a smell or a phrase heard in Italian to transport me back to her kitchen after school.
Anna emigrated to Australia with her family in the 70’s, not speaking English, and never having been to her new home. A coin flip was the deciding factor between settling in Perth or Sydney - thankfully for my brother and I it was the latter. When I came along in the 90’s, her English was still broken but she communicated with hugs, teaching me classic Italian card games (which should be noted she cheated at all the time) - and of course food.
Nonna lived around the corner from where I grew up, so it was a very natural occurrence to find me at her apartment most days after school watching M*A*S*H reruns, the occasional Passions episode or to her ongoing horror, rewatching Lord of the Rings on repeat. Her apartment was customised with archways painted in marble effect with vines, memories of Italy and far away family on shelves and fresh produce painted in perpetuity on the kitchen walls. Without fail, there was always something in the pot that had been simmering for hours, absorbing flavour and becoming exponentially more delicious as it had time to reduce down to the Italian equivalent of food fine art. Bolognese, schnitzel, soups, napolitana, or on the most “basic” days, prosciutto on fresh ciabatta. All accompanied with a glass of crisp cold chinotto, and for dessert a cremino treat which she bought in bulk from the Italian deli.
The recipe featured today was one of Nonna’s all time classics; her Lentil soup. Humble ingredients, outrageously tasty and actually pretty damn healthy. This dish was the original definition of ugly-delicious. When my brother started experimenting to recreate the recipe and then succeeded he immediately sent it to me knowing it was a sensory time capsule of our time with Nonna. I miss her every day, but knowing I can recreate this little corner of memory and share it with others is still a wonder to me.
Nonna anna’s lentil stew
Ingredients
1 brown onion
3 cloves of garlic
4 cups of vegetable stock (could potentially need more depending on how long the lentils take to cook)
2 cups of dry green lentils
Crispy sour dough bread (for serving)
Method
In a large saucepan over medium heat cook onions slowly, about 8 minutes. When the onion is soft add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
Reduce heat to low, add the vegetable stock and the lentils. Cover the pot and simmer until tender, 35 minutes (this could vary, so you'll need to taste the lentils to make sure they're properly cooked and not grainy).
When lentils are cooked, transfer 2 cups of the mixture into a blender and blend it until it's smooth. Stir the puree back into the soup and season with salt and pepper.
Serve with some slices of crispy sourdough bread.
