Chicken Cassoulet from Students' Cookbook by Sophie Grigson

Ingredients

• salt
• pepper
• 75 g (3 oz) breadcrumbs (optional)
• 2 x 432 g (15 oz) cans of cannellini beans, drained
• 900 ml (1½ pints) water
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 500 g (1 lb) passata or creamed tomatoes
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 8 chicken thighs
• 175 g (6 oz) streaky bacon, de-rinded and cut into strips
• 4 tablespoons olive or sunflower oil
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée