Cannellini Beans & Italian Sausage

Total Time: 8 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 6 hrs 20 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 (19 ounce) packages johnsonville mild italian sausages
• 2 cups dried cannellini beans, sorted and rinsed
• 7 cups water
• 10 fresh sage leaves, divided
• 1 medium roma tomato, cored and cut in half
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2/3 cup finely chopped carrot
• 2/3 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup mascarpone, cheese*

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, pour beans, add water to a level of 3 inches above beans and soak for 6 hours or overnight.
• 2 drain.
• 3 place beans in a soup kettle or dutch oven; add 7 cups of water, 5 sage leaves and tomato. bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until beans are almost tender.
• 4 drain and reserve beans; discard liquid, sage and tomato.
• 5 in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.
• 6 add garlic, remaining sage, onions, carrots, celery, red pepper flakes and sauté until tender. add beans, crushed tomatoes, stock, salt and pepper.
• 7 cover, reduce heat to low, continue to cook for 15-20 minutes.
• 8 meanwhile in a large skillet, prepare sausages according to package directions.
• 9 drain.
• 10 cut sausage links into thirds.
• 11 just before serving, gently stir mascarpone cheese into beans. spoon prepared beans into individual bowls and top with sausage pieces.
• 12 garnish with additional fresh sage. serve.
• 13 *1/3 cup cream cheese, cubed, may be substituted for mascarpone cheese.