ItalianEmilian
Fried Cotechino and Lentils
by Chef Max Mariola · 1.1M subscribers on YouTube
Chef Max Mariola shows a crunchy twist on the classic Italian New Year's Eve dish: fried cotechino with lentils. The cotechino is boiled, sliced, battered, coated in panko breadcrumbs, and fried until golden. Served on a bed of lentils cooked with vegetables and tomatoes, finished with a touch of orange zest.
- Difficulty
- medium
Ingredients
13 items- 1 pcsCotechinoPrecooked or raw; if using raw, cook for about 4 hours first
- LentilsItalian lentils preferred; quantity as needed
- Carrots1 medium carrot
- Celery1 stalk, outer part removed
- OnionHalf a medium onion
- ParsleyA bunch, chopped
- Peeled TomatoesA few peeled tomatoes
- Olive OilExtra virgin, for sautéing
- SaltTo taste
- FlourFor the batter (chef does not specify quantity or type)
- PankoJapanese breadcrumbs; can be made from sandwich bread
- Peanut OilPeanut oil, for frying; or another high-smoke-point oil
- Orange Zest(optional) — Fresh orange zest, grated on top
Method
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place the precooked cotechino (still in its bag) into the boiling water and cook for 20 minutes. Do not open the bag.
- While the cotechino cooks, spread the lentils on a tray to check for any small stones. Remove any stones.
- Transfer the lentils to a bowl, wash them, and let them soak for a few minutes.
- Peel the carrot and chop it. Wash the celery, remove the fibrous outer part, and chop it. Finely chop the onion and parsley.
- In a pan, heat olive oil and sauté the chopped vegetables (carrot, celery, onion, parsley) until softened.
- Add peeled tomatoes to the pan and stir.
- Drain the lentils and add them to the pan. Cook like a risotto, adding water to cover the lentils by about two fingers. Season with salt. Cook for 30–45 minutes, or until they reach your desired tenderness.
- After 20 minutes, remove the cotechino from the bag and slice it into rounds.
- Heat peanut oil (or other frying oil) in a deep pan for frying.
- Dip each cotechino slice into a batter (the chef does not specify the batter composition) and then coat with panko breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to adhere.
- Fry the coated cotechino slices in the hot oil until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a wire rack to keep crispy.
- When the lentils are done, remove any large vegetable pieces if desired. Serve the lentils on a plate and top with the fried cotechino slices.
- Optionally, grate some fresh orange zest over the dish for added flavor.
Chef Max Mariola
Professional chefReviewer1.1M subscribers on YouTube400.6M total channel viewsChef italiano. Ricette cucinate a casa, focus completo sulle ricette.
