Pork and Ceci Bean Stew

Like a well made chili, this stew is one of those dishes that is completely satisfying on a cold winter day. Just a few simple ingredients and seasonings that play well together cooked low and slow for hours. We have this wonderful old clay cooking pot from Italy called a pignata that is perfect for this but if you don't have one, and I'm guessing you don't, use a crockpot or get yourself a clay bean pot like one of these cool redware pots from Old Sturbridge Village - Old Sturbridge Village Redware BeanPot.  You will find yourself wondering why you just now discovered clay pot cooking. 

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Ingredients

1 lb boneless pork country spare ribs cut into 1" pieces 

2 cans chick peas

2 carrots chopped

1/2 sweet onion cut into half moons

2 stalks celery with leaves - chopped

1 Sweet bell pepper (not a green one) chopped

3 cloves garlic sliced thin

1 can vegetable broth

1 Tbsp Rosemary

1 tsp Herbs de Provence

1 tsp Fennel Seeds

1 bay leaf torn in three pieces

1 small dried chili pepper - keep whole

Salt & Pepper - season as needed

Grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Brown the pork in a skillet with the herbs and fennel seeds. Then remove to a warm plate.

In the same pan add some olive oil and sauté the carrots, onion, pepper and garlic for 5 minutes.  Mix in the chickpeas and the browned pork.

Spoon everything into the pignata or bean pot or crock pot along with the torn bay leaf and chili pepper vegetable stock.

Since we used a pignata, a dough lid needed to be made. Just simple flour and water. making sure to cut a steam vent.

Put the bean pot in the oven and turn the heat to 250. Let cook for 2 hours. Or set the crock pot for low. Walk away.

Out of the oven

And in the bowl topped with a little parmesan.