Vegetable and Bean Casserole by Gino D'Acampo

Vegetable and Bean Casserole by Gino D'Acampo from Saturday Kitchen BBC

This is a superb recipe which was on today's programme, we tried it for tea and enjoyed it.

Serves 4

Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time 10 to 30 mins

Ingredients
For the sausage and bean casserole
150ml/5fl oz Italian olive oil
8 Italian pork sausages (available in most supermarkets or good delis)
4 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, cut in quarters
1 tsp finely chopped dried chilli
4 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
4 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 x 400g/14oz tinned borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
2 x 400g/14oz tinned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
salt to taste
400ml/14fl oz boiling water
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
For the garlic bread
crusty bread of your choice
extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic

Method
1. For the casserole, in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil until hot. Shallow fry the sausages, rosemary, garlic and the chilli for one minute.
2. Add the carrots and celery and fry for a further three minutes.
3. Add the borlotti and cannellini beans and season with salt.
4. Add the boiling water, cover with a lid and leave to simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the lid, remove the sausages and cut into three pieces.
6. Place the sausages back in the casserole with the cherry tomatoes and carry on cooking without the lid on a low heat for another 10 minutes allowing the sauce to thicken.
7. For the garlic bread, slice the bread approximately 2cm/¾in thick. Brush with extra virgin olive oil and place on a hot griddle until both sides are crusty.
8. Once ready, rub the garlic over the warm bread.
9. Serve the garlic bread immediately with the casserole.