1.  Cook the cotechino according to the instructions on the package.

2.  Sort and rinse the lentils thoroughly to ensure there are no rocks or bad beans.

3.  Place the cleaned lentils into a pot and fill with 2 quarts fresh water. Place the pot on the stove and heat over medium-high heat.

 

 

 

4.  While the pot is heating, add to it the carrots, celery, garlic, onion, bay leaf and a little salt. Cover the pot and let the water come to a rolling boil.

5.  Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer, covered, for 15 - 20 minutes.

6.  When the cotechino is finished cooking, remove the casing and slice off 1/8 - 1/4 of it from the roll, break the meat into small pieces and set aside.

7.  When the lentils begin to soften, add the tomato puree, pepper and the olive oil. Remove the bay leaf. Cover the pot and let it continue cooking for another 15 - 20 minutes until the lentils are soft but still al dente. If the liquid cooks out too quickly and the lentils become thick and dry, add water to the pot as needed. If there is too much liquid in the pot, uncover and simmer over high heat until the mixture thickens to your taste, stirring frequently so the lentils do not stick and burn on the bottom of the pan.

8.  When the lentils have finished cooking, remove the pot from the heat, add the broken up pieces of cotechino and Parmigiano to the pot and mix well. Taste and add salt as needed.

9.  Slice the remaining cotechino into 1/4 inch thick slices.

10.  Plate the lentils and cotechino together. Serve hot with extra Parmigiano on the side. 

Notes

This recipe is made with packaged, pre-cooked Cotechino di Modena. Fresh cotechino can also be found in Italian butcher shops during the Christmas and New Year season. Prepare the fresh cotechino according to your butcher's instructions. In most cases, fresh cotechino will need to be boiled for at least 2 hours.