Ditalini with castelluccio lentils & cured pork cheek

(Ditalini con lenticchie di castelluccio e guanciale)

Serves 6

2½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1 medium onion, cut into 5 mm (¼ inch) dice

1 medium celery stalk, cut into 5 mm (¼ inch) dice

1 medium carrot, cut into 5 mm (¼ inch) dice

300 g (10 ½ oz) diced guanciale (pancetta is a good substitute)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

250 g (9 oz) dried castelluccio lentils or brown lentils

1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) chicken broth

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) good-quality tomato passata (puréed tomatoes)

fine sea salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

200 g (7 oz) good-quality dried ditalini pasta

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino cheese, to serve

6 slices Italian casareccio bread

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, celery, carrot, guanciale and garlic and slowly sauté until the onion and garlic become translucent. Add the lentils, chicken broth and tomato passata to the pan. Bring to the boil, season with the sea salt and black pepper, then cover and cook slowly for about 50–60 minutes or until the lentils are tender.

Bring a medium-sized saucepan full of salted water to the boil and cook the ditalini pasta. As this is a soup, the pasta should be cooked slightly beyond al dente. Add the pasta to the soup and mix well. Add the parsley and season further with the sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve with the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino cheese. Complete by placing the bread on the soup and drizzling the extra virgin olive oil over the bread and into the soup. Serve immediately.