Starters/Snacks Lunch/Dinner Tuscan Bean and Tomato Stew

Serves : 4

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Tuscan Bean and Tomato Stew

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 sticks celery, roughly chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 3 x 400g chopped tinned tomatoes
  • 50g chunk parmesan, rind removed and reserved
  • 80g kale, roughly chopped
  • 150g sourdough/country bread, torn into pieces
  • 1 x 400g tinned cannellini beans, drained, rinsed and drained
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tbsp basil pesto

Method

  1. Heat a sauté pan until medium hot. Add the olive oil and onion, carrots and celery and stir well. Cover with a lid and cook over a gentle heat for 4-5 minutes until softened but not coloured.

  2. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then stir in the tinned tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

  3. Add the rind of the parmesan in one piece, cover and simmer for 10 minutes – this will help flavour the soup. Remove it before serving.

  4. Stir in the bread and return to a simmer then lay the kale on top. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes – you want the bread to break down and thicken the soup, but the vegetables to still have a little bite.

  5. Stir in the beans and return to the boil. Season with a little salt and plenty of black pepper.

  6. Divide between serving bowls then top with a spoonful of pesto and some freshly grated parmesan.