Adding chestnuts to the classic New Year's dish deepens the flavor and texture.

• 1/4 cup Dried Porcini mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons Partanna Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 leek, sliced thin
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 cups Agribosco Italian Lentils
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1 cup cooked, chopped chestnuts
• 1 sprig rosemary, leaves pulled from stem
• 2 1/2 cups water (approximately)
• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Levoni Cotechino Cotto or domestic Cotechino Cotto*

In a small bowl, cover the dried porcini with very hot water, and soak for 20 minutes. Remove from water, retaining the soaking liquid. Chop porcini. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil. Add carrot, celery, onion, leek, and garlic and saute over medium heat until onion and leek are soft, about 8 minutes. Add the lentils, and turn to coat with oil. Then add porcini, soaking liquid, red wine, chestnuts, rosemary, and  water. Add a little more water if necessary to cover about an inch. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook over a bare simmer until lentils are tender, about 30-40 minutes. Salt again to taste, and sprinkle with Italian parsley. Serve with warmed, sliced cotechino.*

*Directions for cotechino cotto: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cotechino, and boil for 20 minutes. If Levoni imported cotechino, keep in aluminum bag to boil. If domestic, remove from casing before boiling.

Adapted from Mostly Eating blog by Sophie Clark