Vegetarian Lentil Bolognese

Peel and finely dice the shallots and garlic, trim and finely dice the celery. Clean the mushrooms and finely chop them in a food processor until they resemble browned ground meat in consistency. Finely chop the walnuts, and thoroughly rinse the lentils in a colander.

Pour olive oil into a pan, sauté shallots, garlic and celery for about 5 minutes over medium heat with a generous pinch of salt.

Once the vegetables are soft and the shallots are translucent, add the mushrooms and sauté for one to two minutes. Add the tomato paste and sugar and sauté for another minute, stirring constantly.

Deglaze the pan with red wine and let the alcohol evaporate for two to three minutes. Once the smell of alcohol has disappeared and the red wine in the pan has reduced, pour in the vegetable broth and the strained tomatoes.

Drain the lentils and add them to the sauce along with the walnuts, stirring well. Place the bay leaf and thyme on top of the Bolognese and simmer the sauce, covered, for 30 minutes, until the lentils are soft but still al dente. Stir regularly during cooking.

After about 15 to 17 minutes, bring the water for the pasta to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente.

After 30 minutes, or when the lentils are cooked, remove the bay leaf and thyme, and season the Bolognese with balsamic vinegar, milk, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.

Stir the pasta into the sauce and divide the lentil Bolognese between two plates, serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.