Spelt, Bean, and Turkey Cassoulet

Ingredients:

• 450 g spelt (about 2 and 1/4 cups)
• 220 g smoked turkey sausage, cut into 1 cm pieces.
• 1 medium onion, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 7cm pieces.
• 4 sprigs of fresh parsley
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 2 whole cloves
• 3/4 cup whole grain breadcrumbs
• 3 tbsp (45 g) butter, melted
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 4 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 2 x 425g cans white beans, rinsed
• 0.5 cups of pureed tomatoes
• 0.5 cups dry red wine
• Additional equipment: gauze

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Spray a 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cut a 30 cm square of cheesecloth, lay it on the table, and place the onion, celery, parsley, thyme, garlic, bay leaf, and cloves in the center. Tie the opposite corners of the cheesecloth together to form a pouch.
3. In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and melted butter until the breadcrumbs are completely coated with butter.
4. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown around the edges, 8-10 minutes. (Be careful not to let the rendered fat from the sausage start to burn; reduce the heat to medium-low if necessary.) Add the sausage.
5. Add broth to the pan and scrape up any browned bits. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add 5 cups of water; stir in the spelt and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and place the cheesecloth bag in the liquid. Bring to a boil, then partially cover and reduce the heat. Simmer the spelt, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 1 hour. Discard the bag.
6. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, wine, browned sausage, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and a few grinds of black pepper and bring to a simmer; cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the beans and spelt are above the water, about 10 minutes.
7. Carefully transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with buttered breadcrumbs. Bake until golden brown and bubbly around the edges, 15-20 minutes. Serve hot.