Hearty Mushroom and Lentil Ragù

Start by placing the dried mushroom into a bowl and covering with 250ml of boiling water. Leave to soak while you do the rest of the prep.

Dice the onion and carrot (or whizz in a processor until finely chopped), it should be small but doesn’t have to be neat.

Place a saucepan over a medium heat, add a generous amount of olive oil (3 tbsp/50ml) and add the onion and carrot with a pinch of salt. Cook for about 8 mins until soft but not browned.

While the onion and carrot cook, finely chop all of the mushrooms.

Empty the contents of the pan into a bowl and wipe out. Place the pan back over a high heat and add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt.

Drain the soaked mushrooms (keep the soaking liquid) and finely chop. Add those to the pan too.

Cook until the mushrooms have released most of their moisture and taken on some colour, you want a nice golden brown.

Add the wine and let it bubble away until almost completely evaporated, then turn down the heat to medium. Return the onion and carrot to the pan along with both tins of lentils (drain them first), the mushroom soaking liquid and a tsp of salt.

Bring the ragù to a simmer and cook for about 15 mins. While the sauce is cooking, put the pasta on to boil in plenty of salted water.

Once the pasta is al dente, drain and combine with the ragù. Finely chop the parsley, add and mix well.

Add 75ml of olive oil to a small pan and place over a medium heat. Pick and add the sage leaves and fry for a couple of mins until crisp

Plate up the pasta, top with a few crunchy sage leaves and a drizzle of the oil they cooked. Add a sprinkle of chilli, if you like.