Sausage and butterbean casserole

Ingredients

• 8 sausages
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 1 x 400g/14oz tin butter beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ bunch parsley, roughly chopped
• 400g/14oz tin chopped tomatoes
• 500ml/18fl oz chicken stock, made from stock cube
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the herby crumb topping

• 100g/3½oz bread (ideally day old), crusts removed
• ½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

2. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the sausages and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning now and again to colour evenly.

3. Add the onion and continue to cook for three minutes, then add the garlic and dried herbs and cook for two more minutes, stirring from time to time.

4. Meanwhile, for the herby crumb topping, tear the bread into small crumbs (or put into a food processor if you have one) and mix it with the finely chopped parsley.

5. Add the butter beans, parsley, tomatoes and chicken stock to the pan. Stir to mix everything together and season well with salt and pepper. Transfer to a medium-sized ovenproof baking dish.

6. Sprinkle the herby crumbs evenly over the surface of the stew, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and bake for 25 minutes, or until the topping is crisp. Serve while hot.

Tips

In May 2013 this recipe was costed at £3.28 at Asda, £3.70 at Tesco and £3.50 Sainsbury’s. This recipe is designed to be made in conjunction with a
low-cost store-cupboard.