CANNELLINI BEANS AND ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Cannellini Beans and Italian Sausage image

The great flavors and healthy qualities of this beloved Italian bean are made even more delicious with this Johnsonville recipe. The vegetables in this hearty dish make it healthy, the Johnsonville Italian Sausages, make it to die for.

Provided by Food Network

Time 2h30m

Yield 8-10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

2 pkgs Johnsonville® Mild Italian Sausages (19 oz each)
2 cups dried cannellini beans
10 fresh sage leaves (separated, & more for garnish)
1 med tomato, cored and halved
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup finely chopped onions
2/3 cup finely chopped carrots
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups crushed canned plum tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese* (can substitute with cream cheese)

Steps:

Place the beans in a large bowl with water, using your hand swirl the beans around to rinse them and discard any small stones or beans that look brown. Drain the beans in a colander, rinse and refill the bowl with beans and a generous amount of water (at least 2-3 inches above the beans) and let soak overnight or for at least 6 hours.
Drain the beans, rinse well and place in a Dutch oven or large pot. Add 7 cups water, 5 of the sage leaves, the tomato halves and bring to a boil uncovered over med-high heat. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered until the beans are tender 1 1/2 - 2 hours, be sure to test for doneness. Drain and reserve the beans, discard the sage and tomato halves.
In a large sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, 5 remaining sage leaves, onions, carrots, celery, red pepper flakes and saute for 8-10 minutes until the ingredients are soft and translucent. Stir in the cooked beans and crushed tomatoes. Add the salt, pepper and the chicken stock. Stir together and simmer gently, when all ingredients are combined and warmed, stir in the mascarpone cheese until melted and evenly folded into the tomato and bean mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover saucepan to keep warm and turn off heat until ready to serve.
Cook the sausage by braising or grilling. Once the sausages are cooked, transfer them to a cutting board and cut into halves or thirds. Transfer the warm beans to individual bowls and arrange sausage pieces on top. Garnish with a sprig of fresh sage.
* To Serve 4-5, prepare the same recipe with 1 package of Johnsonville Italian sausage.
* mascarpone cheese is a mild flavored, creamy Italian cheese and can be found in the specialty cheese section of most grocery stores.