Italian Sausage and Bean Casserole - Salsicce e Fagioli

How's everyone's week going? As it has been so cold today, a well needed warming meal was in order and there's no better than a casserole. Rather than spending hours cooking I always like to do an Italian sausage and bean casserole which is simple to prepare and doesn't take long to cook so it won't take long to warm yourself up :) and as requested by my husband I made a lovely little pudding which I will save for another day. But here's the recipe for the Italian sausage and bean casserole

Italian Sausage and Bean Casserole
Salsicce e Fagioli

4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 garlic clove
65g pancetta, diced
500g pork sausages, cut into chunks about 3cm thick
2 tbsp plain flour
1 glass red wine
1tbsp tomato purée
400ml beef stock
400g tinned cannellini beans, drained
200g button mushrooms, quartered
5 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Heat the olive oil in a large casserole dish and fry the onions and carrots over a high heat for two minutes until golden and then add the garlic and fry for a further minute.
Add in the pancetta and the sausages and cook until the sausages are browned on all sides (about 5 minutes), stirring with a wooden spoon, dont worry too much if the sausages break up a bit as this adds to the flavour and texture.
Mix in the flour and cook for a further minute, stirring continuously.
Add in the wine and cook for about two minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate (this will thicken due to the flour)
Add in the beef stock, stir in the tomato purée, the cannellini beans and the mushrooms. Add the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper, and bring to the boil.
Put a lid on and cook in the oven for 30 minutes until the sausages are tender and the sauce has thickened.

This is great served with rice, or potatoes and green vegetables, and some lovely fresh bread to soak up the wonderful sauce