Tuscan Bean Soup

1. Soak the dried beans in plenty of cold water overnight, then drain. Simmer them in fresh unsalted water for about 1 hour until tender, and blend half of the cooked beans with a ladleful of their liquid to a smooth puree, keeping the rest whole.
2. Meanwhile, rinse the spelt or wheat berries and simmer in salted water for 30 to 40 minutes until chewy-tender, then drain and set aside.
3. Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery. Warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot and soften this soffritto over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes without browning, adding the garlic for the last minute.
4. Remove the sausage from its casing, add it to the pot and break it up with a spoon, cooking until no longer pink and lightly browned throughout.
5. Stir in the tomatoes and rosemary, cook for a couple of minutes, then add the bean puree, the whole beans, the cooked grains and the stock; simmer gently for 20 minutes so the flavours meld.
6. Strip the kale leaves from their stalks, shred them and stir into the soup, cooking for a further 8 to 10 minutes until the kale is tender.
7. Season well with salt and pepper, then ladle into bowls and finish each with a drizzle of the remaining extra-virgin olive oil and a grind of black pepper.

You'll use: Large pot · Saucepan · Blender