Sausage and Beans

Sausage and beans is a rustic and comforting dish, typical of Italian home cooking, varying from region to region. Here is a classic version for preparing it:

Ingredients

• 400 g of pork sausage
• 400 g of dried cannellini beans or 800 g of pre-cooked cannellini beans
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 400 ml of tomato puree
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVO)
• Chili pepper (optional)
• Red wine (about a glass, optional)

If you’re using dried beans, remember to soak them the night before.

Preparation

1. Start with the beans: if using dried beans, after having soaked them for at least 12 hours, drain and put them in a pot with fresh water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 1 hour or until they are tender. If using pre-cooked beans, drain them and rinse under running water.

2. Prepare the sauté: in a large pan, sauté the finely chopped onion and crushed garlic cloves in EVO oil. If you want, you can add chili pepper to give a spicy touch.

3. Cook the sausage: remove the skin from the sausage and add it to the sauté. Allow the sausage to brown, crumbling it with a wooden spoon.

4. Deglaze: (optional) When the sausage is well-browned, deglaze with a glass of red wine and let the alcohol evaporate.

5. Add the tomatoes: pour the tomato puree into the pan, add also the beans, rosemary, salt, and pepper to taste.

6. Let it simmer: cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the mixture dries out too much, add a little water.

7. Final cooking and service: when the beans are soft and the sauce has taken on flavor, adjust salt and pepper if necessary and serve hot.

Curiosity

Sausage and beans is a dish found in many regional variations in Italy, from Tuscany to Umbria, down to Campania and beyond. Depending on the region, it can be enriched with other ingredients such as sage, celery, or carrot to add an additional layer of flavor.