Italian Bean Soup

Put a tablespoonful of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the sausages and fry until brown all over. Take the sausages out and drain on some kitchen paper.

Cut the pancetta into lardons, peel and chop the shallots, peel and chop the garlic and add along with a couple of tablespoonfuls of olive oil to a heavy bottomed saucepan. Put the saucepan over a lowish heat stirring the contents from time to time until the shallots are soft but not brown.

Trim the celery and cut into very thin slices. Peel (no need if cherry tomatoes being used) the tomatoes and roughly chop discarding the seeds. Add the tomatoes, rosemary and celery to the saucepan and stir until the tomatoes have mushed up.

Cut the sausage into rounds and add to the saucepan  Picture  . Pour over a glass of white wine and add water until just covered. Simmer covered for about fifteen minutes. Drain the beans and add to the soup, season to taste and simmer for a further fifteen to twenty minutes or so.

Cut some ciabbata into thick slices, crush some garlic and press into the bread and sprinkle over a little olive oil on both sides. Lightly toast and serve with the soup.