Mediterraner Paradeiser-Linsen-Aufstrich (Mediterranean tomato and lentil spread)
Units
Temperature
Servings
Ingredients
Spread
- 200 g red lentils rounded
- 400 ml vegetable broth rounded
- 300 g tomatoes, halved rounded
- 100 g onion, finely chopped rounded
- 1 garlic clove rounded
- 40 ml olive oil rounded
- 10 g dried oregano rounded
- to taste fine salt rounded
Method
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan). Roast the halved tomatoes, cut-side up, for 20 minutes, until softened and lightly charred at the edges.
- Meanwhile, sauté the onion and garlic in half the olive oil over medium heat for 4 minutes.
- Add the red lentils and broth. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are fully soft and almost all the liquid has cooked away.
- Blend the cooked lentils, roasted tomatoes, remaining olive oil and oregano until smooth.
- Season with salt. Chill before serving.
Notes
- Cook the lentils down until almost no liquid remains. Red lentils absorb a lot of water as they soften; leftover liquid in the pot carries straight through into the blended spread, making it too loose to hold on bread.
- Roast the tomatoes rather than using them raw. Roasting concentrates their sugars and drives off excess water, giving the spread a deeper flavour than simmered or raw tomatoes provide.
- Blend it fully smooth for a classic spread texture, or leave it slightly chunky if you prefer more texture.
- It keeps for 4 days in the fridge and freezes well in small portions.
Ingredient substitutions
- Red lentils are ideal here since they break down fully; brown or green lentils will stay too firm and grainy.
- A pinch of smoked paprika deepens the flavour further.
- A drizzle of olive oil on top before serving is traditional and adds richness.