Lentil balls in tomato sauce with green beans

Ingredients

For 1 serving

• Cooked lentils200 g
• Chickpea flour20 g
• Nutritional yeast10 g
• Parsley5 g
• Onion20 g
• Tomato passata150 g
• Green beans150 g
• Basil3 g
• Extra virgin olive oil1 teaspoon
• Saltto taste

In season: June – September

Method

1. Heat the fan oven to 200 °C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Rinse and drain the cooked lentils well; in a bowl mash them with a fork together with the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, chopped parsley and a pinch of salt until the mixture is firm enough to shape. With damp hands form 6 balls.
3. Lay them on the tray and bake for 15 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and firm.
4. Meanwhile peel and chop the onion; heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat and soften it for 3 minutes, until translucent, then add the passata, a few basil leaves and a pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
5. Bring a small pan of water to the boil, salt it and cook the trimmed green beans for 8 minutes, until tender but still crisp; drain.
6. Lay the lentil balls in the sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes over a low heat, turning them gently, until they take on the flavour; serve with the green beans alongside and the remaining basil.