Anna Teresa Callen's Lenticchie in Umido

• 2 cups lentils, picked over and washed
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 ounces of pancetta (cured sausage made from pigs' stomachs, available at Italian butcher shops), finely diced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 4 to 5 parsley sprigs, minced
• 1 16-ounce can peeled Italian tomatoes, crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Sprigs of Italian parsley for garnish

1. Place lentils in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil.
2. Simmer 10 minutes, rinse under cold water and allow to stand covered with water for 2 hours.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a casserole.
4. Add pancetta, onion, garlic, celery, carrot and half the minced parsley.
5. Saute 5 to 8 minutes until tender.
6. Add tomatoes and bay leaves.
7. Bring to a boil.
8. Simmer 15 minutes.
9. Drain lentils and add to the pancetta mixture.
10. If the lentils are not covered with liquid, add water.
11. Bring to a boil and simmer about 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
12. If necessary add more water during cooking.
13. Stir in the remaining oil, season with salt and pepper and add the remaining minced parsley.
14. Serve garnished with parsley sprigs.

lentils, extravirgin olive oil, pancetta, onion, garlic, celery stalks, carrot, parsley sprigs, italian tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, italian parsley

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1599 (may not work)