Mild red lentils in a tomato sauce with spicy Italian sausages and a dollop of ricotta provide a satisfying stew-like meal that pairs well with a crusty bakery loaf.

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Lentil Soup with Sausages

QTY	MEASURE	INGREDIENT	PREPARATION
4	clove	Garlic	Minced
1		Carrot	Finely chopped
1	rib	Celery	Finely chopped
½		Onion, yellow	Finely chopped
½	tsp	Sugar, brown
1	lb	Sausage, Italian (cooked)	Diced
½	cup	Wine, white
1	cup	Lentils, red (dried)
2	cup	Broth, beef
14.5-oz	can	Tomatoes, diced
		Parsley, Italian (fresh)	Chopped
		Ricotta
		Crushed red pepper flakes
		Oil, olive
		Pepper, black
		Salt

1 Sauté the garlic in a little oil over medium-high heat for 1 min. Add red pepper flakes and cook for 1 min more, until garlic begins to color. 

2 Add the onion, celery, carrot and sugar, and cook until beginning to soften, about 2 min. Stir in the sausages, and cook for 2 min more. 

3 Add the wine, and stir in the lentils. Cook for 1 min. 

4 Add the broth, tomatoes and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20-25 min. Season to taste. 

Serve with a tablespoon of ricotta, and garnish with chopped parsley. 

Yield: 4 servings