11274 Best wishes for the new year

Just in time if you have forgotten. If you wish to start the New Year in true Italian style, you must have a dish with lentils. Generally, these need to be soaked 12 hours before cooking and generally lentils taste even better if you allow them to "rest" for a few hours. There is a thread under "Food and Drink" called Italian Christmas which has also ideas for the New Year, but I am repeating my recipe for Italian lentils as the thread is very long to go through it:

LENTICCHIE DI CASTELLUCCIO CON SALSICCE (COTECHINO) (SPINACCI)
(Castellucio Lentils with Sausages, or Cotechino, or Spinach)

300 gr Castellucio Lentils (if you are using normal lentils, remember that you must soak them in water with a bit of salt overnight)
100 gr bacon (cut in one slice and then cut again in strips)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tbspn butter
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
200 gr tomato purée
1 litre stock (could be vegetable stock if you are vegetarian)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
6 fresh sausages or 1/2 kg cotechino or 1 pkt young spinach leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1 tablespooon oil with 1 tablespoon butter. Add the bacon strips and fry gently (omit this if you are vegetarian)
Add the onion and celery and fry them gently in the oil. Add the lentils, the tomato purée, stock and balsamic vinegar.
Cover and cook gently for approximately 1 hour.
Fry the sausages or the cotechino in a pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. (Omit this step for vegetarians) Slice the sausages or cotechino and add to the lentils.
For vegetarians, when the lentils are almost cooked, add the spinach leaves, cover and allow to cook for a further 10 minutes.

Anyway, with or without lentils I wish you all the best for 2009!