Red Lentil Ragù with Homemade 'Meatballs'

🥘 Ingredients

• olive oil 1 tbsp
• white onion ½
• carrot 1
• celery stalk 1
• salt 1 pinch
• garlic cloves 5
• fresh thyme leaves 1 tbsp
• tomato purée 2 tbsp
• red lentils 150 g
• plum tomatoes 400 g
• vegetable stock 350 ml
• red wine vinegar 1 ½ tbsp
• nutritional yeast 2 tbsp
• salt
• black pepper
• plant-based meatballs 6
• tagliatelle nests 6
• parmesan 2 tbsp
• extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp
• fresh parsley leaves

1. 1

   In a heavy-bottomed pan , drizzle in olive oil and set to a low-medium heat. Add white onion , finely chopped, carrot , peeled and finely chopped, celery stalk , finely chopped, and a salt . Cook for 10 minutes until softened.
2. 2

   Add garlic cloves , crushed, and fresh thyme leaves and cook for a further 4 minutes .
3. 3

   Add tomato purée and cook for 5 minutes . Then add red lentils , rinsed, and plum tomatoes . Fill the empty tomato can halfway with water, swill to collect all the juices, and pour that in too. Add vegetable stock , stir well, then bring to the boil.
4. 4

   Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the lentils are cooked and the liquid is greatly reduced. It should reach a thick-ish soup consistency.
5. 5

   Stir in red wine vinegar and nutritional yeast , then season with salt and black pepper to taste.
6. 6

   Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush plant-based meatballs with a little olive oil and warm in the oven for 6 minutes .
7. 7

   Meanwhile, cook tagliatelle nests in a large pot of well-salted boiling water for 1½ minutes less than the packet instructions. Once cooked, ladle the pasta straight into the ragù and stir gently.
8. 8

   Divide between bowls. Top with the meatballs, parmesan , a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil , freshly cracked black pepper, and fresh parsley leaves .