Levantine cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Harak Osbao (Lentils with Pasta)

Brown lentils with hand-cut pasta squares, pomegranate molasses, coriander and plenty of fried onions.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 250 g brown lentils
• 200 g flour
• 150 ml water
• 4 onions
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch coriander
• 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 pomegranate
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Knead the flour with the 150 ml water and a pinch of salt into a firm pasta dough and let rest covered for 30 minutes.
2. Sort and rinse the lentils and simmer in plenty of salted water over gentle heat for 20 minutes, until tender but not falling apart; keep the cooking water just covering the lentils.
3. Cut the onions into thin rings and fry in the olive oil over medium heat for 15–18 minutes, until deep golden brown; set half aside on paper towels for garnish.
4. Roll the dough out paper-thin, cut into 2 cm squares, and drop these straight into the simmering lentils; cook for 8 minutes, until they rise to the surface.
5. Crush the garlic with the coriander seeds and a little salt in a mortar, sauté for 1 minute in the onion pan with the roughly chopped coriander, and stir into the lentils along with the pomegranate molasses.
6. Season with salt and pepper, spoon into a shallow dish, and serve lukewarm sprinkled with the remaining fried onions and pomegranate seeds.