Pasta Fazool (variation)

Another wintery, heartwarming dish that originates in Italy- pasta fazool was once a peasant's dish. Although created for the poor, it packs a full comforting flavor- perfect when sheltering from wintery evenings.

This is a one-pot dish, which, although requires little effort, does call for your patience. The overall cooking time will be approximately an hour at least, to allow all the flavours to mingle and grow. On the plus side, you don't need to be stuck to the cooker for the majority of this time- do what you like and allow the flavours to deepen with time. 

Ingredients (serves 3-4):

• 2-3 carrots, sliced
• 1 stick of celery, chopped
• One onion, chopped
• Two cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• About 6 slices of chorizo, chopped in to small chunks
• One red/yellow pepper, chopped
• 100g dried pasta of your choice
• Dried thyme
• Dried oregano
• Red and green pesto, about 1 tsp of each
• Sugar, about 1 tsp
• Salt and pepper to taste
• One 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

• Half a lemon to squeeze (will not be using all of its juice)
• (secret splodge of ketchup)
• Half a 400g tin of beans (I used kidney beans, but traditionally, its a white bean such as butter bean or cannellini beans, which work even better).
  
  Method:
• Fry the onion and garlic on a gentle heat, until they are soft, and just picking up some colour.
• Throw in the chorizo, and cook with the onions for a few minutes.
• Add the rest of your veg, then the tin of tomatoes.
• Re-fill the tin with warm water and pour over the veg. Mix it all up.
• Sprinkle in some herbs, sugar and salt and pepper. Put a lid on on your pot so that it gets to simmering point. 
• Remove lid and leave to simmer for 40-50 mins, stirring every 10 minutes or so. By this point the stew should look thicker and a richer colour, with the vegetables almost cooked through, but still al-dente.
• Add your pasta and a touch more water if needed. Don't drown it in water or the flavour you just gained from the 40-50 mins of stewing will be lost in dilution. 
• Allow the pasta to cook in the stew (usually around 12 mins). Simultaneously, work on building the flavours of the fazool. Add the pesto, ketchup, lemon juice and any additional herbs/ground pepper if you need it. Taste as you go, until its just right.
•  When the pasta's cooked, you're done! Serve up with a cheese of your choice. Traditionally, parmesan is used.