Lentil Ragu with Rigatoni – Oracibo

Ingredients

• 1 cup Castelluccio lentils, picked over for any debris or stones, if Umbrian lentils are unavailable, substitute Lentil du Puy
• 1/3 cup each carrots & celery cut into small dice
• 1/3 cup diced onions
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• 2 bay leaves, fresh if you have them
• 5 Tbsp. EVOO
• ¼ – ½ tsp. Peperoncino, or to taste (chili flakes)
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 ½ cups tinned Italian plum tomatoes, diced, crushed by hand, not in the processor
• 1 – 2 tsp. sea or kosher salt
• 1 lb. Rigatoni or other tubular shaped pasta
• 5 – 6 leaves Fresh basil, torn or shredded
• 2 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
• EVOO
• ½ – 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese