Cannellini alla Seuese

Here is another vegetable idea, that is a little different. You can do this recipe with or without the chopped pancetta. Add it for great taste or leave it out for the vegetarian in your crowd. This is another of the recipes that I got from Mario Carrate some 25 years ago. Mario was a retired food broker from New York city, who loved to eat and cook. He taught Italian cooking classes at the local junior college in Connecticut. His father had run a restaurant on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. A couple of the most fun days of my life were spent touring Arthur Avenue with Mario. He spoke Italian with all of the food merchants and helped us to buy the best and freshest ingredients for all of our Italian dishes. It was almost like being in Italy, with an Italian guide. Give it a try for a fresh idea for a side dish.  

Ingredients:

2 - 16 Ounce cans cannellini beans
4 Cloves garlic
Handful of fresh sage leaves (8-10 leaves)
1 LB plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped (see hint below)
1/4 LB pancetta, chopped fine (optional)
2 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Pour beans into a strainer and rinse with cold water. Drain and set aside. Peel and slice garlic. Chop sage coarsely. Chop pancetta if using. Warm olive oil in a large sauce pan over low heat. Add pancetta, if using, and cook until almost brown. Add garlic and sage and cook until garlic is tender and translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and cook over medium heat for about ten minutes. Add the beans and flavor with salt and pepper. Simmer for about five minutes, until beans are heated through and serve. This dish is often served in Tuscany as a side with pork. 

Hint:

If you don't have a tomato/fruit peeler, get one before trying to peel tomatoes. They are much like a standard vegetable peeler but with a sharper, serrated blade. They will peel a ripe peach or tomato in nothing flat. Here is a picture of mine. 

If you can't find one of these peelers, another method for peeling tomatoes is to plunge them into boiling water for just a couple of seconds. Remove from the water and the skin should lift off easily.