ITALIAN SAUSAGE, FENNEL AND ROASTED TOMATO GRATIN WITH CANNELLINI BEANS .

450 g Cherry Tomatoes 2-3 fat cloves of Garlic, skinned and thinly sliced 5 tbsp olive oil tsp dried chilli flakes (optional) 6 large banana shallots skinned and thinly sliced 3 fennel bulbs trimmed and thinly sliced 2x 400g of cannellini beans drained and rinsed 8 Italian each slit with the point of the sharp knife skins peeled off
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F Line a baking tray with baking parchment and lay on the cherry tomatoes Add the garlic and 1 tbsp olive oil. Mix together with your hands. Scatter the chilli flakes (if using) 1 tsp salt and 15 turns of the pepper grinder. Roast the tomatoes in the oven for about 30 minutes. In a large saut pan, heat the remaining 4 tbsp of olive oil and fry the shallots gently for about 4-5 minutes, until they are soft and transparent. Stir in the fennel, turn up the heat to medium high and fry for 8-10 minutes. Stir the roasted tomatoes, garlics and the beans into the fennel and shallots, then tip the contents of the saut pan into an oven proof dish. Chop the skinned Italian sausages into dice and cover the surface of the vegetable mixture with a thick layer of the diced sausage. Bake the gratin in the hot oven for 35-40 minutes until the surface is golden brown. The gratin can be kept warm in a low oven for up to an hour, loosely cover the top with parchment to stop it drying out.