400g spicy sausage, casings removed and cut into rough chunks
400g tin chopped tomatoes
400g tin cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
1 litre chicken stock
250g orzo or similar small pasta
½ tsp crushed chillies
2 bay leaves
1 tsp oregano
black pepper
1 large handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
parmesan to serve
Method
Heat 2tbsp olive oil in deep frying pan or casserole, add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and cook until softened.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Immediately add the pancetta to the pan and cook until golden.
Remove from the pan and add to the vegetable mixture.
Add the sausage to the pan and cook until golden.
Add the vegetables and pancetta, the tomatoes, cannellini beans, stock, orzo, chilies, bay leaves, oregano and black pepper.
Give the whole thing a good stir, put the lid on and simmer for around 20 mins.
When the pasta is cooked, the soup is ready.
Now you can either serve it immediately as it is or leave it with the lid on for another 10 mins or so. The pasta will continue to absorb the liquid and it will become less soupy, more like the texture of risotto. Either way, serve with chopped parsley and grated parmesan.
Recipe by appetite magazine at https://www.appetitemag.co.uk/hearty-italian-sausage-soup/