White Beans and Sausage

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried cannellini beans
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4-5 fresh sage leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 black peppercorns
• 4 15-ounce cans cannellini beans
• 5 tablespoons extra olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 3-4 canned plum tomatoes, chopped
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 cup tomato purée
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. If you are starting with dry beans, rinse them under cold running water and pick out any little stones. Transfer the beans to a large pot, add enough cold water to rise a couple of inches above them, and let them soak for at least 4 hours. For the quicker route, pour boiling water over the beans so it sits a couple of inches over the top, then let them stand for 1 hour instead of 4.
2. Drain off the soaking water, put the beans back in the pot, and pour in 3 quarts of water. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Follow with the sage leaves, then add 2 cloves crushed garlic; sprinkle in 3 teaspoons kosher salt and drop in the peppercorns. Cover the pot, bring it to a simmer over medium heat, and cook for 1 hour. Turn the heat down so the beans are barely bubbling, then cook for another 1-2 hours, until the beans are just tender. Fresher beans will usually soften sooner, while older beans may take longer. Take the pot off the heat and let the beans cool in their cooking liquid. Save 1/2 cup of that liquid, then drain the beans.
3. If you are using canned beans, taste the liquid in the cans first. If it tastes good, drain the beans and keep 1/2 a cup of the liquid aside. If the liquid tastes off, pour it away and use 1/2 cup of water instead of bean liquid in the next step.
4. Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. If the sausage is in casings, slip it out, then add it to the skillet and cook until it has a little color, about 3-4 minutes.
5. Pour in the reserved bean liquid, whether it came from cooking dry beans or from the can, along with 4 Tbsp olive oil. Add the garlic, chopped tomatoes, and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring now and then, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
6. Fold in the reserved beans, then stir in the tomato purée. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Let everything simmer a few minutes more, stirring gently, until the sausage is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. Go easy here, because you want the beans to stay whole.