Rachel Roddy's Recipe for Lentil and Tomato Soup | A kitchen in Rome

There is a low wall behind the bar playing loud music at Piramide metro station. It's also a shaded wall and away from traffic, so if you like Cher's remixes, it's a good place to rest or grab a sandwich.

The other day I passed by and an old man had spread some waxed paper on the wall and, working with a miniature penknife, was slicing a whole melon, discarding the skin and seeds as he went in a bowl near his cart, and then drape each orange moon with a slice of prosciutto. It occurred to me to stop and say something before I got on my train, about her talent and her beauty, spread out there like a picture. Someone else, a young man, actually said something: "e un buon matrimono" – that's a good match (the melon and the prosciutto) – and the melon cutter accepted.

< p>The idea of ​​happy marriages in food is floating around in my head, which is far from an original idea, but good and useful to pass the time on a train. What about the marriage of melon and prosciutto? Contrast, baby! The fresh and sweet smoothness of melon, the dry and salty tear of pork. And they form a couple that finds its place anywhere, whether it's a chic table or a low wall. One pairing leads to another: melon and prosciutto, prosciutto and figs, figs and white pizza, white pizza and sausages, sausages and lentils, lentils and tomato… a lentil and tomato soup, with cheese croutons.

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Although it's never soup time, it's definitely soup time now. It has less to do with the weather, which is unpredictable than ever, and more to do with big pots of soup being easy to make, eager to please, and easy to roll the next day, which I want because we roll in the fall.

Lentils are wonderful, useful and good. Rich in protein, fiber and several elements of the periodic table – phosphorus, magnesium and iron – lentils are also a valuable staple. They also cook in 30-40 minutes and do not require soaking. (However, if you soak them for a few hours in cold water, they will soften a bit, which will reduce their cooking time and your energy bills).

This is a basic recipe with some lifting additions. Adding anchovies is optional. A few fillets dissolved in the onion, celery and carrot soffritto provide a deep, salty seasoning, which somehow feels meatier than fishy. Unless you're an anchovy hater, in which case you can probably spot one from a mile away. Instead, you can add a crust of parmesan, ideally with the last cheese attached.

Lentil and tomato soup

Preparation 5 minCooking 50 minServes 4

6 tablespoons olive oil1 onion, peeled and diced1 stalk of celery, peeled and diced1 carrot, peeled and dicedSaltTwo anchovy fillets (optional) 300g brown lentils500g peeled and crushed tomatoes (fresh or canned)3-4 sage leavesParmesan crust (alternative to anchovies)Bread cubes, salt, olive oil and grated parmesan, to make croutons

In a large, heavy-based skillet, heat the olive oil, then add the onion, celery-carrot and a pinch of salt. Fry until soft and translucent. Now, and only if you like them, add some anchovy fillets and stir until they dissolve in the vegetables.

Add the lentils, stir until until they shine with oil, then pour in the tomato and sage. Simmer for one minute, then add 1.3 liters of water and the parmesan zest (but only if you did not use anchovies).

Bring to Bring to a light boil, then reduce to simmer for 40 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and thick in consistency (you don't want them stiff; if the soup seems too thick, add a little more water to relax it). Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Rub bread with olive oil and bake or fry (in which case you may need a little more oil) until golden brown. Sprinkle croutons with a little grated parmesan and divide into bowls of hot soup.