Recipe: Sausages and baked beans

2 tbs olive oil
6 large (about 130g each) sausages*
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
80g mild pancetta, finely chopped
1 cup (200g) dried cannellini beans,
soaked in water overnight, drained
410g can crushed tomatoes
1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
1/2 bunch thyme sprigs
2 dried or fresh bay leaves
1/4 cup coarsely torn flat-leaf parsley, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat oil in a large flameproof casserole pan over high heat. Add sausages and cook, turning occasionally, for 3-5 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, garlic and pancetta and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Add cannellini beans, tomatoes, stock, thyme and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Cover pan with a lid, transfer to oven and bake for 10 minutes.
2. Remove from oven, add sausages and stir to coat. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove lid and bake for a further 30 minutes or until cannellini beans are tender and sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

* We used pork, fennel and garlic sausages for this recipe, but you can use any mild-flavoured sausage. If desired, 12 large chipolata sausages can be substituted for the 6 large sausages.

 

Recipes & food preparation: Lisa Featherby. Photography: Ben Dearnley. Styling: Michell Noerianto. Food preparation: Julie Ballard. Stylist’s Assistant: Andrew de Sousa. Fashion styling: Nicholas Sholl. Hair & make-up: Yolanda Lukowski.