Lentil soup with pasta

Prepare a vegetable broth and keep it warm. Finely chop the onion and carrot, heat a little oil in a saucepan. saucepan and add the chopped ingredients. Wilt over low heat Cook until the vegetables are soft and glossy, without browning. Add a ladle of broth to keep the bottom moist.

Cut the pancetta diced and add it to the soffritto. Brown it over medium heat-high until it turns golden and the fat partially melts. Stir often to distribute the heat; the bottom should be fragrant and slightly shiny, without burning the vegetables or the pancetta.

Rinse the lentils in a colander under running water and let them drain. Add them to the saucepan with the pancetta and stir to coat them with the aromatic sauce. Continue cooking for about 2 minutes, until the mixture It appears uniform and the lentils are well flavored.

Pour the tomato passata and mix to distribute it. Add rosemary and thyme tied with kitchen twine, then join chili pepper chopped dried if required by the preparation. Let it mix together. over low heat until the tomato is well incorporated and the base is fragrant.

Pour in hot broth until the lentils are well covered. Cover and cook. over medium heat-low for about 40 minutes, maintaining a light boil. The lentils are ready when they are soft but still whole. Remove the bouquet garni before adding the pasta.

Add the ditaloni and pour in enough hot broth to keep them submerged. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking. After 7-8 minutes, check the consistency: if the soup is dry, add more broth until it reaches a smooth, creamy consistency.