Ingredients:

300 g (about 2 1/2 cups) Beluga lentils, washed and picked
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium zucchini, cut in quarters lengthwise, then finely chopped crosswise
3 small turnips, peeled and cut into 1 cm squares
2 bay leaves
5 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1.5 litre (6 cups) water
4 sausage links, casings removed
salt and pepper to taste
extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish

Method:

1. Wash the lentils several times in cold water and remove impurities. Put in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to boil and let it boil for 30 seconds. Drain, discard water and rinse again under cold water. Set aside.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, cook the onion, celery and carrot in the olive oil until the onion is soft, about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.
3. Add the zucchini and the diced turnip and cook for another five minutes.
4. Add the lentils, the water, the tomato paste and the bay leaves and bring to boil. Cover and reduce the heat to maintain a slow simmer and cook, partially covered, for 25 minutes.
5. During that time, remove the casings from the sausages and form small balls of sausage meat. I like them about 1 cm (1/2 inch) in diameter, but make them as big or as small as you like.
6. After 25 minutes of cooking, add the sausage meatballs and the thyme and cook for another five minutes, covered.
7. Taste, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Serve in warm bowls with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and eat with a good slice of crusty bread.