Recipe: Bean Stew with Sausages (Salsicce e Fagioli, Italian)

BEAN STEW WITH SAUSAGES (SALSICCE E FAGIOLI)

"This dish is made with lovely peppery Italian sausages. You could chargrill them on the grill and then add them into the other ingredients. This is a camp-fire favorite, perfect for eating outdoors in cold weather."

1 pound fresh or dried cranberry beans, soaked overnight in cold water
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste, diluted in 4 tablespoons warm water
12 Italian sausages
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the soaked beans and cover them with fresh water. Bring to a boil and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse, than return them to the pan and cover generously with fresh water. Bring back to a boil, then simmer slowly for about 45 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, cook the garlic, onion, celery, carrot, and parsley in the oil until all the vegetables are soft.

Add the diluted tomato paste to the onion mixture. Mix together thoroughly, then add the sausages. Cook the sausages for a few minutes until they are sealed and lightly browned.

Add the beans and all their cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper, then cover. Simmer the stew for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce is rich and thick. Serve warm.

Makes 6 servings
Source: Recipes from an Italian Terrace by Valentina Harris