Salami and bean stew

This was inspired, as most things inevitably are, by the great Nigella Lawson, through her recipe for salami and cannellini bean pasta. I make her recipe quite often, convenient as it is, but I often feel that, especially for a weeknight, the combination of the beans and pasta is too heavy. I had an idea to lighten it up (but still keep it satisfying) by adding more water and then spending a bit longer thickening up the sauce. I also add whatever fresh vegetables I have to hand, and use haricot beans instead of cannellini for a bit of variation (you can of course use any beans you have in the house). I add spice to this, just because I feel it needs livening up, and it makes a perfect partner to the savoury saltiness of the cured meat.

Recipe:
1 packet sliced cured meat like salami, cut into strips
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2-3 cups of water
Pinch of sugar
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced peppers (any colour)
1 red or green chilli, finely diced (use as many chillis as you like, and keep the seeds in if you're a spice fiend)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper
1 or 2 cans beans (the choice is yours!)

Method:
1. Heat a wide heavy based frying pan on high heat. Once hot, throw in the sliced meat (no oil is needed - the fat from the meat will be sufficient).
2. Fry the meat until it is slightly coloured and crisped up.
3. Add the diced vegetables and chillis, and fry off for a few minutes until slightly softened.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes, pinch of sugar and the water. Bring to the boil, and turn the heat down to a simmer.
5. Add the cayenne pepper, and the salt and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add more water if you want the stew to be a little more like a soup.
7. Drain the beans, rinse, and add to the stew. Cook for a further 10 minutes on a low heat, or until the beans are nice and tender.
8. Serve with some garlic bread if you fancy!