AUNTIE PASTA: Longing for Lentils

SARONNO, Italy - The Italian island of Ventotene is not exactly a household name. It’s a tiny little volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, 25 nautical miles off the coast of Gaeta, right at the border between Lazio and Campania. The island is less than 2 miles long (3 kilometers) and less than half a mile wide (800 meters). Today, 708 people call Ventotene home, but back in the days of the Roman Empire, Ventotene was not a place you wanted to be, in fact you could say it was an ancient Alcatraz.

 Island of Ventotene

It was called Pandataria back then, and it was a strategic maritime hub that anchored the Roman trading empire. The Emperor Augustus radically transformed this remote barren island into his personal seaside resort and a thriving port community. Engineers of today marvel at what the Emperor constructed 2000 years ago, including a system of underground aqueducts that harvested rainwater and an impressive man-made harbor, hand-carved from the seawalls. 

Augustus may have turned the island into a thriving resort, but it soon became infamous as the island where he banished his daughter Julia in 2 BC. It seems Julia was the Paris Hilton of her day, and her father did not approve of her wild and wooly ways. He decided that perhaps she needed a time out, a five year time out, and so she was sent to Ventotene to rethink her behavior.

Julia

Apparently banishing unruly children was the thing to do back in those days because the Emperor Tiberius banished his grandniece Agrippina the Elder to Ventotene. And Agrippina’s youngest daughter Julia Livilla was also exiled there – twice. Then there was Claudia Octavia, the first wife of the Emperor Nero. She was banished to Ventotene in 62 AD and even Saint Flavia Domitilla, the granddaughter of the Emperor Vespasian, was banished to the island. She is the same Saint Flavia Domitilla the catacombs in Rome are named after.

So it is easy to see why, in the past, people were not exactly rushing to go to Ventotene, especially women.

But that’s all changed. Today, Ventotene is once again a resort island made newly famous as the place where five ancient Roman ships were recently discovered. The ships are between 1,600 and 1,900 years old, and were laden with - among other things - wine, olive oil and a fish sauce called garum, which is much like the fish sauce used today in Asian cooking. 

It was not easy to grow food or develop a cuisine on an island made of volcanic rock, but with a little help, one plant seemed to thrive, red lentils. And from the red lentils, the Ventotenese made zuppa – soup. This is a perfect summer dish as it is served, like so many Italian soups, at room temperature.

Zuppa di Lenticchie di Ventotene

Serves 4

250 grams of lentils (any color will do)

350 grams of tomatoes

1 garlic clove

1 bay leaf (or a few basil leaves)

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

The original recipe calls for dipping the tomatoes in boiling water for a half a minute and peeling them, cutting them into quarters, removing the seeds and dicing them. Honestly, you can use any good quality canned tomatoes and save yourself a lot of time and still get good results. 

Lentil Soup

Carefully check the lentils to eliminate any tiny stones or foreign debris, and then wash them in abundant water.

Put the lentils, the garlic clove and the chopped tomatoes in a casserole dish with about 2 liters of water. Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat and let it cook for about 45 minutes (or until the lentils are tender, but not mushy). Add a little more boiling water if needed. 

When the lentils are cooked, add salt and serve the soup in a shallow bowl with an added drizzle of olive oil. Serve at room temperature. If you want, you can also add some cooked rice to this dish.

AUNTIE PASTA: Hello My Lovely - Lentils

SARONNO, Italy - It was crisp and cool in Saronno yesterday and it seemed like a good day to cook lentils. I won’t tell you the part about burning them and ruining the pot because I was in my little office on the computer, and not paying attention to what was going on in the kitchen. I did manage to save at least enough for lunch and I put them together with some rice and spinach that was left over from Sunday.  

Castelluccio di Norcia

Lentils, also known as (Lens culinaris) or simply lens, are the seeds of an herb native to southwestern Asia (modern Syria). From there it spread very quickly throughout the Mediterranean basin. The plant is characterized by branched stems and vines that can reach 50 cm high with rectangular pods that contain 2-3 seeds ranging in color from yellow-green, red, brown and black. The flavor of lentils varies and depends on the size and color. Generally the small ones,  called lenticchie mignon in Italy, are the most delicious. After they are harvested they are dried and packaged. They can also be found pre-cooked in a can.  

 Lovely Lentils

Lentils are the oldest cultivated legume, dating back to 7000 BC, and was once the staple food of the poor in Greece and Italy. In old Rome there was a very important family, the Lentuli, who – I think – got their name because of some involvement in the cultivation or distribution of lentils. By the mid-sixteenth century, Italians were calling eye disks "lentils", and for more than two hundred years eyeglasses were known as “glass lentils”. 

Here in Italy lentils are grown primarily in the hills of Umbria and Lazio. The most common varieties take their names from their place or origin. Cultivation is divided into two groups – large lentils and the small, mignon lentils. Farmers are probably planting lentil seeds as in some regions, like Castelluccio di Norcia and Colfiorito in Umbria and Leonessa in Lazio,  this is lentil planting time. 

Lentil Plant

The most common varieties are the green lentils of Altamura, which are a little bigger in size than brown lentils, and served primarily as a side dish. The lentils of Ustica grow in volcanic soil and are dark brown in color. They are small and tender and very tasty, and unfortunately difficult to find on the open market.

 

The lentils from Castelluccio are also small and very tasty and considered the best lentils on the Italian market. In 1997 they were awarded the prestigious Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP) by the European Union, which protects and preserves their uniqueness.  Red lentils, also known as Egyptian lentils or Indian dal, are also very popular in Italy.  

Uncooked Lentils

A word to the wise: If you buy lentils in bulk, even if they are in sealed bags, check to see that they are not contaminated with parasites or larvae and that there are no holes on the surface of the lentils. It’s also a good idea to check the source and when they were harvested. If they are too old they will need a long cooking time and that detracts from their flavor.

If you buy canned lentils, make sure the can is not dented or damaged in any way as this can affect the product.

Lentils should be stored in a dry place, and preferably in a closed glass container. If properly stores, they should keep for up to a year.

Such a Pretty Picture

You can use lentils in soups or as side dishes, in salads or even as a sauce for pasta. In Italy lentils are the traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day, the idea being that the more lentils you eat the richer you will be in the New Year. Sounds good to me. I like lentils, they are rich in protein and vitamin A, B1, B2, C, and calcium, iron, potassium and phosphorus and work wonders for people who suffer from anemia or exhaustion. Just don’t overdo it. 

It is recommended that you stainless steel cookware, cast iron, clay or enameled iron cookware but not aluminum, as the aluminum will turn your lentils black.

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