Heading off camping or looking for an easy way to feed a hoard of people this weekend? This affordable and easy bean dish takes a while to cook, but the hearty rich flavours make it well worth while. It’s perfect to make and take with you as a one pot meal on a camping trip or to serve for a relaxing brunch.

ALL the ingredients for this recipe are now available at your local Ritchies supermarket. Find your local VIC, NSW or QLD store.

home made baked beans with chipolatas

•  12 Ritchies’ pork chipolata sausages
• 1 small smoked ham hock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onion finely diced
• 2 sticks celery diced
• 2 carrots diced
• 375g dried white, cannellini or great northern beans
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 1 400g can crushed tomatoes
• 1.5 litres of water
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• sea salt and pepper

to serve

• a tablespoon chopped parsley  (optional)
• crusty bread

Preheat the oven to 180^o C

In a deep heavy oven proof pan or casserole on a medium heat, add olive oil and onions. Cook the onions until they are soft transparent and just starting to change colour. Add the celery and carrots and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add water, tomatoes, herbs, spices, bay leaves sugar and ham hock and beans.   Cover the pot and place in the oven for about 2 hours checking and stirring occasionally (add a little more water as you go if required) The beans are cooked when they are tender and the sauce is thickened.  About 1 hour into the bean cooking time prick the chipolatas with a fork and place on a tray in the oven bake until lightly browned (about 20 minutes ) then add to the beans for the last 40 minutes of their cooking time.  When the beans are tender remove the ham hock, shred the meat from the bone and return to the casserole. Check the seasoning. Serve hot with crusty bread. Perfect for breakfast lunch or dinner. Serves 6.