"When the stars make you drool...

...just like a pasta fazool, that's amore." I had so much fun making this dish with Karen last week. Paul's mom's recipe follows:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. lentils
• water
• garlic powder
• oregano
• sage
• dried onion flakes
• 3 cans tomato sauce
• 2 lbs ground beef, cooked and drained
• salt
• pasta (we used stellini -- making Dean Martin's line all the more appropriate)

Best in a slow cooker on medium (which we don't have, so we used the crock pot on high).

Sort and rinse lentils. Cover with about 2 quarts of water. Sprinkle top with garlic powder (about 1/2 tsp). Add 2 pinches oregano, slightly more sage, 2 tsp dried onion. Bring to low boil, simmer slowly for several hours. Add 3 cans of sauce at this point. When the beans are very cooked, add ground beef. Add about 1.5 tsp salt. Stir frequently and cook for another hour or so.

Just before serving:
Use 1/2 of mixture (freeze other half without pasta for later), add water to thin somewhat (maybe 1 cup) - bring to boil, then add about 2/3 to 3/4 cup of pasta. Cook over medium heat until pasta is tender. Stir often (if sticking, remove from heat and put on cooler surface, like middle of stove -- should release soon). Add a little extra garlic and salt. Should be about the consistency of chili. Serve topped with parmesan cheese. Each half serves about 8 people.
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This was SO good. It's the perfect cold-weather food.