Big-batch sausage and lentil ragù

Sausage meat and green lentils simmered in a rich tomato sauce: hearty, cheap and stretches a pack of sausages a long way. Pasta tonight and a few boxes for the freezer.

Ingredients

• 12 Pork sausages, skins removed
• 15 ml Olive oil
• 2 Onions, chopped
• 250 g Carrots, finely chopped
• 0.3 Celery, 3 sticks, finely chopped
• 0.4 Garlic, crushed
• 250 g Green lentils, rinsed
• 800 g Chopped tomatoes
• 500 g Passata
• 3 g Dried oregano
• 1 g Dried chilli flakes, optional
• 1 Vegetable stock cubes, made up with 600ml hot water
• 400 g Penne
• 40 g Parmesan, grated

Method

1. Break the sausage meat into small nuggets and brown it in the oil in a frying pan for 8 minutes. Set aside.
2. In your largest pan, cook the onions, carrots and celery for 10 minutes until soft, adding a splash of oil if needed, then stir in the garlic.
3. Add the lentils, tomatoes, passata, oregano, chilli and stock. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring now and then.
4. Stir in the sausage meat and simmer for 15 minutes more, until the lentils are tender and the sauce thick. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
5. Cook the penne following the packet, about 11 minutes, and drain.
6. Spoon out about half the ragù to cool for the freezer. Toss the rest with the pasta and serve with Parmesan.