This is my new favorite bolognese recipe. The combination of le pry lentils, chunky eggplant and spices is a delight and you won’t miss the meat I promise. It makes for a hearty and nourishing dinner,perfect to warm us through on a cool Fall evening. You could serve this with pasta, zucchini pasta, some crusty bread or on it’s own topped with avocado (my favorite). Either way I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed. This is a great recipe to feed a crowd (think Halloween party) and it gets even better the next day.

Lentil and Eggplant Bolognese.

Ingredients:

Olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium eggplants, cut into 1/4 inch chunks
1 cup le pry lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1, 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Water added if necessary.

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and saute on a low heat for about 10-12 minutes until just turning golden. You may need to sprinkle over some salt to prevent the onions from burning.

2. Add the cumin, celery and garlic and saute for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the eggplant, lentils, worcestershire sauce, crushed tomatoes and maple syrup. Bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer, partially cover the pot and allow to simmer away until the lentils are just cooked through – about and 1 1/2 hours. Check periodically to see if the mixture is too thick, if so add some water, stir thoroughly to combine.

3. Serve with chopped parsley or cilantro and enjoy:)