Mushroom Lentil Pasta Ragu with Eggs

Recipe By:

Australian Eggs

www.australianeggs.org.au [1]

Prep Time:

20 mins

Cook Time:

40 mins

Serves:

Make this hearty Mushroom Lentil Pasta Ragu with Eggs for an easy meat-free dinner. Fettuccine is tossed through a rich tomato ragu with mushrooms, lentils and vegetables, then topped with eggs and Parmesan and cooked until perfectly set. Finish with fresh gremolata for extra flavour.

Ingredients

350g fettucine
⅓ cup olive oil
500g cup mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp dry Italian herb mix
½ cup red wine (see tips)
2 tbsp tomato paste
400g jar Napoletana pasta sauce or passata
400g can brown lentils, drained and rinsed
6 eggs
¾ cup grated fresh Parmesan, extra to serve
Gremolata, to serve (see tip)

Method

Cook fettucine in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of cooking liquid before draining.
Meanwhile, heat half of the oil in a large, deep pan or cast-iron sauté pan over a high heat. Add mushrooms. Cook, stirring for 7 minutes until lightly brown. Remove and set aside in a bowl.
Add remaining oil, onion, celery, carrot, garlic and herb mix. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes until soft. Return mushrooms and add wine. Simmer for 2 minutes until wine has almost absorbed.
Add paste, cook stirring for 2 minutes. Add pasta sauce, lentils and 1½ cups of cooking liquid. Stir to combine. Bring to the boil. Reduce to medium heat and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes until reduced and thickened.
Stir in cooked fettucine until coated in sauce. Make 6 nests amongst pasta. Break an egg into each one. Sprinkle Parmesan around eggs and drizzle with extra cooking liquid if necessary. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 minutes until egg whites are set and Parmesan has melted.
Sprinkle with gremolata. Season with salt and pepper if desired, and serve.

Tips & Hints

To make gremolata, combine 1/3 cup chopped flat parsley, 1 finely chopped garlic clove and the grated zest of a lemon.
Serve with chilli flakes if you like a bit of heat.
Swap red wine with chicken or vegetable stock if you prefer to avoid using alcohol.