Boiling lentils in water makes them lose their flavor: an Italian chef uses a different method to cook them
Lentils are treated much like pasta: they're immersed in a pot of water, left until tender, then drained. But cooking them in large quantities is a mistake that ultimately costs them dearly in terms of flavor.
Why? Because lentils are naturally rich in glutamates, compounds that carry umami, that famous "fifth taste" which adds depth to food. However, when they cook in a large amount of water, some of these molecules pass into the liquid... and disappear with it down the colander.
In central Italy, this legume is particularly well known. The Marche region borders Umbria, a land of lentils where the Castelluccio variety, a small, thin-skinned variety so renowned that it has a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), is grown. In this part of Italy, it is often cooked with sausages or in soups, simply seasoned with olive oil, garlic, and herbs.
Sunni Martelli, chef of the century-old Vittoria restaurant in Ascoli, has her own unique way of showcasing lentils. To avoid losing their aroma, she prefers to take inspiration from cooking risotto. So, rather than plunging the lentils directly into a pot of water, she first sautés them in olive oil before adding hot water ladle by ladle, waiting for them to absorb it before adding more.
The recipe, inherited from her grandmother, doesn't stop there. The chef then transforms her lentils into a soup. To do this, she adds chopped carrots, garlic, celery, bay leaf, and rosemary to the base, while slowly stirring in the liquid. The lentils absorb the flavors of these ingredients as a particularly rich broth gradually forms. And the result surprised the Milk Street team who visited her: it looked just like it was made with chicken broth! Sunni Martelli finishes her dish with shrimp cooked separately, a nod to the region's seafood.
However, you don't need to follow the entire recipe to grasp the essence of the method. Next time you're serving lentils, treat them like a risotto, not spaghetti. They'll definitely be much better for it.
