Description[]
This recipe is from Yotam Ottolenghi's vegetarian cookbook "Plenty". It was published in guardian.co.uk
- Serves four.
Ingredients[]
- 200 g puy lentils
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 250 g Greek yoghurt
- 50 g baby spinach
- 3 tbsp chopped coriander
- 3 tbsp chopped mint
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt and black pepper
- 400 g best-quality puff pastry
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
Directions[]
- Put the lentils, bay leaves and a litre of water in a pan, bring to a boil and cook for 20–30 minutes, or until done.
- Drain, tip into a bowl and set aside.
- In a frying pan, dry-roast the cumin and coriander seeds for two minutes, until the aromas are released, then grind with a pestle and mortar.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a small pan and fry the onion gently for six to eight minutes, until golden and very soft.
- Add the ground spices and garlic, and cook for two minutes, then mix into the lentils and set aside.
- Once cool, stir in the yoghurt, spinach, herbs, lemon juice and remaining oil.
- Season to taste.
- Roll out the pastry to 3mm thick and cut out four circles about 8cm in diameter.
- Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 200°C / gas mark 6.
- Brush the pastry with beaten egg and bake for 10–15 minutes, until golden on top and underneath.
- Allow to cool slightly.
- To serve, place a pastry disc in the middle of each of four plates.
- Pile up the lentils high on top, so you can just see the edges of the pastry cases, and finish with a dribble of olive oil.
