Gratinated lentil couscous

If you have been eating a lot of carby, unhealthy foods around the holidays, and you need a detox: this recipe is probably the one you should try next. It will not be a full-blown, restrict yourself from anything and everything sweet or carby detox. Just something that would get you back on track to eating healthier.

The Gratinated Lentil Couscous is a weak meal to share with your family and one of those dishes you can enjoy on your first steps on a healthier lifestyle. The recipe is very easy to prepare in just under 10 minutes! It has a delicate flavor, great aroma, and a crunchy touch!

Recipe by Simona Novarini

 

Here is how to prepare this Gratinated lentil couscous

• Difficulty: Very Low
• Preparation: 10 minutes
• Cooking: 5 + au gratin minutes
• Portions: 4 people

Ingredients

• 200 ml of Water
• 200 grams of Martino’s red Lentils Couscous
• 1 teaspoon of Salt
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 100 grams of Dried Tomatoes in oil
• 5/6 Anchovies in oil
• 150 grams of Mozzarella
• Dried Oregano as needed
• Grated Parmesan Cheese to your preference

Preparation

Rehydrate the Red Lentils couscous:

In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, pour 200 ml of water add a pinch of salt and one teaspoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Bring to a simmer.

Turn off the heat and pour evenly 200 grams Martino Red Lentils couscous. Cover with a lid and let the couscous absorb all the water slowly for about 4-5 minutes. After the necessary time, fluff the couscous with the help of a fork to avoid any lumps from forming and to obtain the perfect texture.

Prepare the couscous mixture

Begin by cutting the dried tomatoes into small pieces. Do the same with the anchovies and the mozzarella cheese.

In a mixing bowl pour the hydrated couscous, the diced dried tomatoes, the anchovies, and the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with dried oregano and stir everything with the help of a spoon.

Prepare for baking:

Pour the couscous mixture in a porcelain baking dish. Make sure to distribute everything evenly. Sprinkle some oregano on top and with grated parmesan cheese. Finish by drizzling Extra Virgin Olive Oil on top.

Bake the Gratinated red lentils couscous in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius until the surface becomes golden brown and a little crispy.

Serving:

There are so many ways to serve this simple yet delicious dish. Try it with a Mediterranean salad with tomatoes and cucumber. Or maybe try it out with Greek yogurt! Whatever you decide make sure to savor every bite of it. After all, this is your healthy lifestyle beginning.

Notes:

If you have any leftovers of the Gratinated lentil couscous the next day you can simply transform this recipe into a salad! Save the leftovers in the refrigerator and the next day simply season with some lemon juice, olive oil, fresh onion and some crumbled white cheese and your salad is ready!

Variations:

If you are looking for satisfying family lunch you can add some vegetables to the recipe. In this case you will need to bake the Gratinated lentil couscous for a little bit longer, until the vegetable become tender and are perfectly incorporated into the dish!

The Gratinated lentil couscous is not only a delicious and easy lunch or dinner but is also great as a side dish for some fresh fish baked in the oven! The punchy smell of the anchovies and the fresh fish will definitely bring some Mediterranean taste to your kitchen. Whatever you choose to serve your Gratinated lentil couscous don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter to receive all the delicious Mediterranean Martino’s recipes directly in your inbox!

Lentil couscous, chickpeas couscous, pea’s couscous or simple whole grain couscous it doesn’t matter! You can recreate this recipe with any of the couscous varieties Martino has available. In fact, you will see that each time the taste will change a bit and you will have created a whole new recipe for you to enjoy with your friends and family. So next time when you try it out with different types of couscous flavors make sure to leave us a comment to tell how your recipe came out.