Thursday, February 27, 2014

Not Your Mama's Beanie Weenie


No, not Beanie Weenie but Italian Sausages with Cannellini Beans. This is an amazingly easy, incredibly tasty, one-dish meal. It fills the house with an aroma that makes you think an Italian nonna has been slaving away in the kitchen for hours. Thanks to Sam Hoffer of My Carolina Kitchen for sharing it. 
The only prep is chopping onions and garlic. Otherwise you just dump the ingredients in a roasting pan, put it in a hot oven, and wait for the magic to happen. 
This is my version of Sam's recipe (which, in turn, was a version of someone else's.) I like more onion and garlic and fewer beans.

2 lbs. Italian sausage links (I used 1 lb. sweet, 1 lb. hot)
2 pints cherry (or grape) tomatoes
2 medium large onions, cut in 1 1/2 inch chunks
8 cloves garlic, sliced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dried thyme
3 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cans (about 16 oz. each) cannellini beans, undrained

Put oven rack at lowest position and heat oven to 425 F.

Pt all the ingredients EXCEPT the beans in a heavy casserole or roasting pan. Put in oven and roast till sausages are brown and tomatoes have reduced to a thickish sauce -- about 45 minutes.

 Remove from oven, stir in beans, turn sausages and arrange across top to brown their undersides, and return to oven for another 10-15 minutes.

 Remove bay leaves and serve with crusty bread for dipping, a simple green salad, and maybe a nice glass of wine. Serves 4 or 5 very hearty eaters (two sausages apiece) or (with another can of beans) 8 or 10 moderate eaters.

Mama mia, that's good!

Click HERE for Sam's version -- it includes a buttered crumb topping which I totally forgot to do.




14 comments:

Ms. A said...

Definitely not mama's, looks more like papa's. Several papas!

Thérèse said...

Yummy, yummy.

Martin said...

Mouthwatering!

Brian Miller said...

mmm considering how cool it is here this morning...imagining that hot in my belly....sounds good to me v...will have to try this...

June said...

MY KIND OF RECIPE!
I adore "throw it all in one pan and cook it until it's done" meals. This one . . . beans, garlic, sausage...?
How could it miss?

Thank you!

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

Vicki, I'm so glad you liked this easy version of cassoulet. And I LOVE the title of your post. No, it's absolutely not your mother's beanie weenie. But beanie weenie sure brought back some fond memories of my childhood.
Sam

Barbara Rogers said...

Ah so that's what a Italian version of beanie weenie would be...it definitely looks good, thanks for sharing it, Vicki!

Lise said...

I have to try this. Nothing better than a tasty, satisfying meal that's easy to prepare:)

Jime said...

Oh My~!! I'll take seconds.

BTW its raining out here. For maybe two days.

Suz said...

yum yum yum
what's more food
I may as well go for it
...love the one pan

Inger said...

That looks simple and good. Hearty, I guess is the correct term.

Regenia said...

That is a recipe my husband, daughter, and son-in-law would love! Might try that today!

Shawn Miles Bilodeau said...

Just fixed this recipe tonight, and it is soooo good! Thank you for sharing, Vickie.

Vicki Lane said...

Thanks, Shawn! I need to make this again soon!