Tuscan Bean and Sausage Stew with Cavolo Nero

• 300gItalian-style pork sausages (about 5)
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 2onions, finely chopped
• 2carrots, finely diced
• 2celery sticks, finely diced
• 5garlic cloves, sliced
• 6 grosemary leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tspfennel seeds
• 1/2 tspchilli flakes
• 2 x 400gtins chopped tomatoes
• 700mlchicken stock
• 3 x 400gtins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 300 gcavolo nero leaves, stalks removed and sliced
• fine salt
• black pepper
• 480 gciabatta, about 60 g per serving
• 50gParmesan, finely grated
• 2 tbspextra virgin olive oil, optional (optional)

Method

1. 1Squeeze the sausagemeat out of the skins in rough thumb-sized pieces. Heat the olive oil in your casserole over a medium-high heat and fry the sausage pieces for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once or twice, until deeply browned and catching on the base. Lift out onto a plate, leaving the fat behind.
2. 2Turn the heat to medium, add the onions, carrots and celery with a little salt and cook for 10 minutes until soft and sweet, scraping up the browned bits from the sausage as you go.
3. 3Stir in the garlic, rosemary, fennel seeds and chilli flakes for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock, cannellini beans and the sausage, bring to a simmer and cook with the lid half on for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and the beans are creamy.
4. 4Crush a ladle of beans against the side of the pan and stir back in; that is what thickens the stew without any flour. Strip the cavolo nero from its stalks, slice it and stir it in, then cook for 6 minutes until dark, tender and glossy.
5. 5Season with plenty of black pepper and taste for salt: the sausage and the Parmesan both bring salt, so it may need less than you think.
6. 6Warm the ciabatta according to the packet, using about 60 g per person. Serve the stew with the Parmesan and optional extra virgin olive oil. If saving some stew, add the bread and toppings fresh when serving.
7. 7Cool the rest within 2 hours and freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat on the hob with a splash of water until piping hot; the beans thicken it as it sits.

Per serving

kcal

489

protein

24.6g

fibre

10.5g

carbs

59.2g

fat

18.1g