Tortellini soup

Comfort in a bowl. Warm, savoury, and so simple it’s a great weeknight meal. Feeds 2 hungry people

• 1 tbsp oil
• 4 sausages
• 1 tbsp butter
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, finely diced
• 1 stick celery, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 chicken stock cube (plus 750ml boiling water)
• 250ml white wine
• 250g fresh tortellini
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 50 ml cream
• 100g young spinach

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat
2. Pinch off small pieces of sausage, drop them into the pan and brown them on all sides
3. Scoop the sausage out of the pan and put on one side
4. Lower the heat and put the onion, carrot, celery and garlic into the pan
5. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 mins until everything is soft
6. Add the stock cube and tomato puree, stirring into the vegetables until everything combines
7. Pour in the white wine and turn the heat to medium. Bubble until the wine has almost disappeared
8. Add 750ml boiling water, sausage pieces and some fresh thyme leaves. Season with salt and pepper and stir everything together
9. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down low and simmer for 7 mins
10. Tip in the fresh tortellini and cook for a further 3 mins (or as per the directions on the packaging)
11. Mix the cornflour with a little water and pour into the soup, stirring as you add it
12. Cook for another 2 mins until the soup thickens, then turn the heat off and add the cream and spinach (the spinach should just wilt in the heat of the soup – turn the heat on to a low simmer if you need to give this a helping hand)
13. Serve immediately in a big, deep bowl, maybe with a grating of parmesan and a sprinkle of finely chopped chives