Sausage with White Beans Ragu Marilyn Cantarella Wilmington NC

 

Sausage with White Beans Ragu

This dish was one of my favorites during the pandemic in the summer of 2020 when I had plenty of fresh basil, parsley, arugula and tomatoes growing in the garden. Serves 6

Ingredients:

10 oz. hot Italian (mild works as well) pork sausage removed from casing

1 can cannellini beans (can substitute any white bean)

8 ounces tomato sauce (fresh or canned)

8 ounces orzo pasta

1 vidalia onion or yellow onion

2 ounces arugula

1 bunch parsley

2 tbsps. Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsps. tomato paste

1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese (whey or cow's milk based so it is sweet)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup Salsa Verde (optional)

Preparation:

Fill a pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile dice onion and roughly chop the parsley and stems.  In a bowl, combine the ricotta, half the Parmesan and some black pepper. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and set aside.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook roughly 7 minutes. Turn off heat and return to pot. Stir in arugula and cover while finishing sausage. In a large skillet heat olive oil and add sausage and diced onion. Cook a few minutes until onions soften. Add the beans, paste, tomato sauce (or fresh chopped tomatoes) and about 1/4 cup water. Salt to taste. Simmer 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally until sausage is cooked through.  Turn off heat, stir in Worcestershire sauce.  Serve the finished pasta topped with the sausage mixture. Put a few tablespoons of the seasoned ricotta on top with some chopped parsley and a spoon of Salsa Verde; add extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.   The sweet and savory flavors combine to make a delightful taste combination.