Sausage and Beans

This sausage and beans recipe stretches a modest amount of meat to feed an entire family. You cook the sausage with beans so that the meat is more a flavoring than the focal point of this dish.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 35 to 45 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds hot Italian sausage

8 cloves garlic

2 sprigs fresh sage

1/3 cup white wine

2 medium tomatoes

5 cups cooked cannellini beans

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the sausage into 2-inch pieces.

2. Peel the garlic cloves.

3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

4. Add the sausage, garlic, and sage and cook, turning occasionally so that the sausages brown evenly.

5. Lower the heat to medium-low and continue cooking, loosely covered, until the sausages are cooked through, about 10 minutes.

6. Drain and discard the fat from the skillet.

7. Add the wine and let it boil until it completely disappears, about 3 minutes.

8. Peel and chop the tomatoes.

9. Add 1 cup tomatoes and the beans, and season with salt and pepper.

10. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, adding a touch of water, if necessary, to keep the mixture moist.