It was cold, dark and late when it started to snow. Nothing spectacular, at first. You wouldn’t know the first flakes from some white dust in the air. We stayed up and watched, hoping the real winter with lots of snow is finally here. It wasn’t until the next day that Munich turned into a white kingdom.

I have to tell you, the sight of the first snow always makes me so happy that my inner child is screaming from joy. I think that’s one thing I don’t see myself growing out of.

But since it’s winter outside, my today’s recipe is something hearty and perfect for snowy cold days. This dish, traditionally from the polish cuisine, originally called Breton Beans, doesn’t require a lot of work. The only thing you have to remember is to soak the beans overnight, or alternatively use the canned ones.

Preparation time: 12hr                 Cook time: ca 90min.

To serve 4 you need:

300g of sausage

125g bacon

500g of white beans, soaked overnigh

1 onion

1 tsp majoran

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili

1 tsp ground coriander

400g canned tomatoes or passata

salt to taste

Cook the beans for about an hour. Cut the sausage in slices and bacon in cubes. Heat the pan, without oil, and add the becon cubes. Wait until the fat starts melting, add the sausage and diced onion. Cook until crispy.

When the beans are done, pour the water in which they were boiled to the sausage and let it simmer for few minutes. Add the beans, herbs and spices, mix well, and let it cook together for another 10min. Pour in the passata and leave on medium heat for another minute. Pour the beans into a bowl or soup plate and serve with bread.

The beans should be swimming in the sauce, unlike on my pictures where the sauce just stayed at the bottom.