This soup is good in winter (hot) and in summer (warm). Adding the Feta cheese is up to you, the lemon zest is giving to the overall soup a great taste already. In Italy we eat lentils for NYE, they say it bring you loads of money. Not true. But never give up traditions! This version will shift the eating moment from a traditional need to a pure pleasure.

Serves 4

Ready in 1H

300 grams brown lentils

200 grams Feta cheese

1 small onion

2 spring onions

1 small red bell pepper

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

grated lemon zest

1 tbs of tomato paste

3 tbs white vinegar

1 lt stock (or water + stock cubes at your choice)

3 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Chop roughly the onion and the spring onions. Dice the bell pepper.

Heat the olive oil and stir-fry the onions and the red bell pepper.

Meanwhile wash the lentils under running water for a couple of minutes. Add them to the onion and red bell pepper mixture. Fry for 5/6 minutes high heat stirring.

Add the vinegar and let it evaporate completely (i twill take a couple of minutes).

Add the tomato paste, the stock, the bay leaf and the cinnamon stick. Simmer for 45 minutes (or until the lentils are soft).

Add the grated lemon zest and 50 grams of Feta cheese and let simmer stirring well until the Feta cheese melts down.

Serve hot (or warm), topped with the remaining Feta cheese crumbled and a pinch of fresh lemon zest.

Serves 4

Ready in 30 minutes

400 grams Feta cheese (in 4 slices 100 grams each)

150 grams cherry tomatoes

1 small green bell pepper

1 lemon

1 tbs capers

pepper

30 pitted Kalamata olives

Extra virgin olive oil

Oregan

Pre-heat oven to 190° C.

Clean and half the tomatoes.

Clean and slice (3 millimeters thick) the green pepper.

Spread 4 aluminium sheets on a table, put on each of it a slice of Feta cheese. Season each slice of Feta cheese with one quarter of tomatoes, green pepper, capers, olives and 2 slices of lemon each.

Season with pepper, oregan, 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil each and seal the foil starting from the sides. Seal them and put them on a dripping pan.

Bake 20 minutes. Serve.

To bake it a little, open it and bake for further 8/10 minutes opened.

Serve.

serves 6

ready in 1 hour

300 gr feta cheese

2 red peppers

1 tsp oregan leaves

50 grams pitted black olives

4 tbs fresh cream (or milk)

juice of 1 kemon

2 tbs olive oil

salt

Clean the pepper and grill them until soft and you can peel them easily. At ghis stage, Under running water, clean peel the peppers. Cut them into small pieces.

Crush the feta cheese into small chunks, add the pepper chunks. Season with lemon juice, cream (milk) the olive oil and with salti f needed. Mix well untili t gets creamy (if necessary add some milk or cream).

Add the pitted olives in chunks (retain 2 for decoration).

Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

500 gr di lenticchie lessate (250 gr se secche) / 500 gr boiled lentils (or 250 grams dried)

200 gr feta / 200 gr feta cheese

1 piccolo scalogno / 1 small shallot

1 cucchiaio di coriandolo tritato / 1 tbs chopped coriander 

Succo di 1 limone / 1 lemon squeezed

4 cucchiai d’olio d’oliva / 4 tbs olive oil

Pepe / Pepper

Bollire le lenticchie per 25 minuti in acqua non salata. Salare solo dopo circa 20 minuti.

Cook the lentils in hot water for 25 minutes. Add salt only after 20 minutes. 

Quando sono ancora tiepide unire lo scalogno, il pepe, l’olio e il succo di limone. Fare raffreddare.

When still warm, add the shallot, the pepper, the oilve oil and the lemon juice. Let cool down.

Prima di servire, impiattare le lenticchie, e mettere sopra la feta sbriciolata. Spolverare con il coriandolo. Aggiungere un filo d’olio e servire.

Put the lentils in a plate, sprinkle the feta cheese chuncks on top. Sprinkle the coriander. Add a bit of olive oil and serve.

Tomatoes and Feta Cheese Tatin

1 pasta brisée / 1 short crust patry

6/7 pomodori con ramo / 6 or 7 tomatoes

timo / thyme

alloro / laurel

150 gr feta / 150 gr feta cheese

100 gr zucchero / 80 gr sugar

4 cucchiai aceto balsamico / 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 cucchiai olio d’oliva / 2 tablespoons olive oil

sale e pepe / salt and pepper

Scaldare il forno a 210°.

Heat the oven to 210 degrees.

Lavare i pomodori e tagliarli in 4 o 6 parti (a seconda delle dimensioni). Metterli in una teglia con la buccia rivolta verso il fondo della teglia. Cospargere di timo, unire 1 cucchiaio d’olio, l’alloro e mettere in forno per 15 minuti.

Wash the tomatoes and cut the into 4 or 6 slices (according to the dimension of the tomatoes themselves). Put the in a baking pan peel down. Spread with thyme, 1 tablespoon of oilive oil, add laurel and put in the oven for 15/20 minutes until they get grilled.

Estrarre dal forno e levare la pelle. Fare sgocciolare per qualche minuto in un colino.

Take out from oven. Peel them out. And let drain in a drainer for 5 minutes.

In un’altra teglia, scioglierelo zucchero con un pochino d’acqua e caramellare. Togliere dal fuoco e bagnare con l’aceto balsamico e 1 cucchiaio di olio d’oliva

Meanwhile in a baking pan melt the sugar down with some water. When it is caramel colour, take away from heat and pour the vinegar and the remaining olive oil.

Ora disporre i pomodori nella teglia. Spargere la feta sbriciolata con le mani. Coprire con la pasta.

Now put the tomatoes into the baking pan. Cover with the pastry.

Cuocere da 20-25 minuti, sformare subito appena fuori dal forno.

Cook for 20-25 minutes in the oven at 180°, turn upside down in a plate as soon as you take it out from the oven.