Instructions: Soak the chickpeas and haricot beans separately in cold water overnight.

Drain the chickpeas and haricot beans and place in a saucepan.

Pour in the vegetable stock or water and bring to the boll.

Cover and boll steadily for 10 minutes.

Peel and dice the onion carrots parsnips and tomatoes into 150mm pieces.

Transfer the pulses and stock to a large 2 1/4 litre clay pot or casserole dish.

Add the bulgur wheat diced vegetables tomatoes olive oil whole chillies herds and spices.

Cover with a tight fitting lid.

Cook in the simmering ovenfor 5 to 8 hours or over night if wished (some electnc ovens are too hot for overnight cooking and some converted ones are cooler than average).

Cook in the baking ovenfor 2 hours with the gird shelf on the floor of the oven.

Remove the lid and stir in the tomato paste and stock cubes if used.

Recover the casserole and return to the grid shelf on the floor of the roasting or baking ovenfor a further 20 to 45 minutes until the beans and vegetables are tender.

Remove the stew from the ovenand season generously with salt and pepper to taste.

Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.

If possible make this stew a day ahead to give the favours time to develop. If using stock cubes delay adding these until the end of the cooking time. Crumble them in when adding the tomato paste. Pulses should always be cooked without salt until tender. If using stock cubes remember that these are also high in salt. To cook this dish and many other aga recipes you need a traditional earthenware deep casserole with a light fitting lid. It is well worth treating yourself to one of these casseroles.

Serves 6

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