Make a big pot of our thick tomato stew on a lazy weekend afternoon and use it to cut your cooking time and your costs during the week.

MAKES 2L // HANDS-ON 15 min // HANDS-OFF 20 min

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp olive oil
6 stalks celery, sliced
5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 vegetable stock cubes
3 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes
8 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Fry the celery, garlic and onions until soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Add tomato paste and cook for another 3 minutes.
3. Dissolve the stock cubes in 250 ml boiling water.
4. Add the hot stock, tinned and fresh tomatoes, sugar and balsamic vinegar to the pot with the vegetables. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Season to taste.
5. Remove from the heat and blend with a hand blender or in a food processor.

USE IT HERE

Day 1: Quick minestrone
Day 2: Stuffed mushrooms with tomato and mozzarella
Day 3: Tomato and baked-bean bredie
Day 4: Pork and Parmesan tagliatelle
Day 5: Ratatouille bake