Title: White Beans with Sage
Categories: Main dish
Yield: 4 servings
1/4 c Olive oil
3 lg Garlic cloves, peeled and
-minced
1 cn White beans (2 cups)
1 t Dried sage leaves
-OR
1 tb Fresh sage leaves
1 c Chicken broth
1 1/2 t Cracked pepper (or freshly
-ground)
12 oz Small shell noodles
1/2 c Parmesan or Asagio cheese
Salt
Heat olive oil in a wide skillet and add garlic. Cook briefly. Add
white beans and heat through. Add sage, broth and pepper. Lower heat
and simmer.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles. Cook until al
dente; they should be cooked through but just barely. Drain pasta
well. Place in a large serving bowl and toss with beans and about
half the cheese, salting to taste. Top with remaining chesse. Garnish
with fresh sage, if you have it. Serve with baked carrots and
Italian-style bread (or bread of choice).
In the summertime, you could add a cut-up garden tomato, or several
quartered cherry tomatoes.
To bake carrots: Peel and trim 4 or 5 large carrots. Cut them on the
diagonal about 1/2" thick. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable
oil. Spread in a 9x13" baking pan (or on a shallow baking sheet).
Season liberally with salt and pepper and bake at 400 F. for 30
minutes, or until browning and tender. These are also good if you
throw in a few chunks of red bell pepper.
White bean vegetable soup: Add a diced carrot, onion and rib of
celery to the olive oil when you add the garlic. Cook until soft,
then proceed with recipe. Add a can of water when you add the broth.
Cook 8 ounces of noodles separately as instructed in the recipe, then
add to soup, adding more water or broth if you think the mixture is
too thick. Serve in bowls with cheese on top.
