Sausage and Beans

Sausage and beans is a rustic and comforting dish, typical of Italian home cooking, which varies from region to region. Here is a classic version to prepare it:

Ingredients

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

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

Preparation

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

2. Prepare the soffritto: in a large pan, sauté the finely chopped onion and crushed garlic cloves in EVO oil. If desired, add chili pepper for a spicy touch.

3. Cook the sausage: remove the casing from the sausage and add it to the soffritto. Let the sausage 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 passata into the pan, then add the beans, rosemary, salt and pepper to taste.

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

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

Curiosities

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