Tuscan Bean Soup

Serves 8


Hearty soup and fresh bread, it's a quick, nutritious and very satisfying meal.  We're into the Bacheldre rustic crunch bread mix at the moment shaped into a round country floured cob.  The soup takes the same amount of time as the bread takes to rise and cook.  A good school holiday lunch with easy washing up.


2 sticks celery
2 carrots
2 rashers smoked streaky bacon (optional)
2 onions/leeks
olive oil


Finely chop and fry for 10 minutes.


Add:


1L stock (ham hock was good, but cubes would do)
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can berlotti beans/calenninni
1 long squirt tomato puree
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
2 slices stale bread, finely crumbed
5 new potatoes chopped (optional)
2 cloves chopped garlic
pepper to taste
salt if the stock isn't salty enough


Boil gently for 15 minutes until the veg is tender, stir occasionally to stop it sticking.  


Serve with:
Grated parmesan
Chopped parsley
Pesto (mix some olive oil into it to thin it, then you can make a pretty swirl).