An unusual preparation for a starter with a Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fragrance — colourful and spiced, to be enjoyed at room temperature. And one that can be made ahead of time.

Ingredients for carrot rolls, serves 4

4 carrots
150 g red split lentils
1 small potato
1 shallot or spring onion
half a stick of celery
approximately 1 l vegetable stock
half a teaspoon of curry powder
1 bay leaf
fresh thyme
a few chives
sesame seeds
extra virgin olive oil
salt

Involtini di carote — Ingredients that bring together Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours © Beatrice Spagoni

Method

Begin preparing the carrot rolls by peeling the carrots. Once cleaned, slice them thinly using a mandoline or a vegetable peeler and lay them out in a colander, then lightly salt them and leave them to drain their liquid for about 30 minutes. Set aside the offcuts from trimming the carrots and chop them roughly.

Meanwhile, heat the stock. Peel and finely chop the shallot and celery. Peel the potato and cut it into cubes. In a saucepan, heat 2–3 tablespoons of oil and flavour it with the curry powder, then add the vegetables, including the chopped carrot offcuts, and sauté them for a few minutes over a high heat. Once they are nicely flavoured, add the lentils, rinsed thoroughly under cold water, along with the bay leaf, and let them absorb the flavours for a few minutes too; season lightly with salt, then cover everything with hot stock. Do not add too much stock, to avoid over-diluting the mixture and ending up with a cream that is too runny. Cover with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, toast the sesame seeds in a hot non-stick pan and set them aside. When the potato is soft and the lentils are almost falling apart, remove the bay leaf, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and blend all the vegetables and lentils with a stick blender until you obtain a smooth, fairly thick cream (it should not run), then leave it to cool slightly. Drain the carrot slices, rinse them and pat them dry with kitchen paper, then place two at a time side by side, roll them up carefully around themselves to form rolls with a hollow centre, and secure them by tying a chive very gently around each one. Fill each roll with the lentil cream and serve the rolls with spiced lentil cream scattered with toasted sesame seeds, a little curry powder and small thyme leaves.

Carrot rolls filled with spiced lentil cream. An ethnic recipe