Ribollita - chick pea and fennel stew V

A great rich, filling vegetarian stew, based on ancient Tuscan recipes.  Like many of the best recipes, it originated as a way of using up leftovers.

For 4 as a main course or 6+ as a starter. This is adapted from Ottolenghi's recipe, which has more liquid and is more soup like, which may be better as a starter.
It works fine without any addition, but you could serve with bread rolls or boiled or baked new potatoes.

• olive oil
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 medium fennel bulb, sliced
• 1 large carrot, cut lengthways and then across
• 2 celery sticks, ditto
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 200ml white wine
• 200g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 dstsp each: oregano, parsley and thyme (fresh or dried)
• 1 dstsp basil pesto 
• 3 bay leaves
• 500ml mushroom stock (or veg stock)
• 150g sourdough bread (can be stale)
• 400g can chickpeas, drained and lightly mashed, leaving some of them whole.
• 2 tbsp basil pesto
• salt and pepper
• basil leaves for dressing (optional)

1. Sauté the onion and fennel in 3 tbsp olive oil for 4 minutes.
2. Add the carrot and celery and continue to cook for 4 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato puree and continue to stir for 1 minute.
4. Add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes.
5. Add the canned tomatoes, herbs and vegetable stock, plus salt and pepper to taste.
6. Simmer for 20 minutes on the stove.
7. Add the chickpeas and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
9. Meanwhile, at step 6, switch the oven on to 180C.
10. Toss the bread, broken into rough chunks, in olive oil - enough to coat it - and some salt.
11. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until crispy and brown.
12. Ladle the ribollita into bowls for serving. 
13. Add the bread from the oven and a spoonful of pesto, plus basil leaves if used.

NB you can do all the complicated stuff up to step 8 in advance, then just reheat thoroughly while you do the bread, and finish with the dressing.