Bean Casserole

This is a slow cooked casserole (5 hours) ideal for a weekend dish and well worth the wait.

Serve with a dollop of soured cream and some fresh crusty bread.

450g Dried Cannellini beans

225g smoked streaky bacon rashers

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

100ml red wine

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp Paprika

2 tbsp tomato puree, mixed with 100 ml water

400g tin chopped tomatoes

Small bunch Parsley, leaves only

2 sprigs Thyme, leaves only

Soured cream to serve

Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water.

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas 2

Drain the beans and line a casserole with the bacon rashers. Tip the drained beans on top, lay the vegetables, herbs (apart from the Parsley) and spices over the beans. Don't add any salt at this stage.

Add the wine, tomatoes, tomato puree mixture and 100ml water.

Cover and cook in the oven for 5 hours, by which time most of the liquid will have been absorbed.

Remove the Thyme and Bay leaf, taste and season. Leave to stand for 15 minutes.

Garnish with chopped Parsley, serve with a dollop of soured cream and fresh crusty bread.