Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 shallot or onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped 
  • 3 hearty cloves of garlic 
  • 400 – 500g of Italian sausage (or good quality sausage)
  • 2 x 400g tins of cherry tomatoes (or chopped tomatoes)
  • 400g cannellini beans   
  • 100g chorizo or bacon, thickly chopped (optional)
  • 2 teaspoon of paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
  • 2 – 3 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 125ml white wine
  • 1 chicken stock cube

Method

  1. First preheat your oven oven the 170°C
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan and fry the sausages gently for 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Once nicely browned all over, transfer to a large saucepan or a flameproof casserole dish and set aside.  
  3. Add another tablespoon of oil the the frying pan if necessary, then add onion and and fry for 2-3 minutes, add the chopped carrots and fry on a low heat until they begin to colour, roughly 8-10 minutes.
  4. Add the chorizo, garlic, paprika and cumin, then fry for a further 2 – 3 minutes, avoid stirring too much you want a slight browning to develop at the base of the pan.
  5.  Deglaze the pan with the white wine (that is using a spoon scrape and loosen the browned bits of meat and vegetables stuck to the bottom of the pan and incorporate into the wine).
  6. Add 2 tins of tomatoes and the fresh thyme sprigs, bring to a gentle simmer before crumbling in the stock cube.
  7. Add the tomato sauce to the casserole dish or pan and transfer into a pre-heated oven (170°C) and cook for 30 minutes.
  8. Remove the pan from the oven and add the cannellini beans, stir and return to the oven for a further ten minutes. 
  9. Remove the thyme springs and season with salt and black pepper. Best served with crusty bread.

Tips

  1. The sausage is the basis for this dish so it is worth using fresh, good quality meat.
  2. Using tinned cherry tomatoes will give a sweeter flavour to the final dish but normal chopped tomatoes will still work well. Fresh tomatoes can also be used, but should be fried in a non-stick pan for 10 minutes first.
  3. It is important that you DON’T clean frying pan after removing the sausages, you want to use the incredibly flavourful fat to impart its rich flavour into the vegetables.
  4. If the casserole is too thick you can thin with stock or water to achieve your desired consistency. Do so about 5 minutes before serving.

Wine Recommendation

Peppoli Chianti Classico, Antinori 2017, Tuscany, Italy £14.50  

Pèppoli features fruity notes of red and black fruit, cherries, and herbal aromas, with a spicy undertone. Supple tannins back up a persistent and pleasantly fresh finish.