Normally I am not a bean person. It is not that I dislike them, it is more that they rarely spark my appetite. But then came Johanna's birthday party. The theme was Tuscany and my time was limited. I poured through my best Italian cookbooks and looked at recipe after recipe. Then I spotted sage pesto with Tuscan white beans. I had never thought of pestle, mortar and sage together but the trio intrigued me and I knew I had to try it, even if it was with beans. In Tuscany white beans are usually served with just chopped sage and olive oil so this was a twist on that meal. The best part - it was a light and healthy dish to bring to the potluck. The anxiety driven part - I had no clue how it would taste. I had thirty minutes to make a meal, get dressed, wrap a present, and pick up girlfriends. Making the sage pesto took only five minutes, opening the two cans of organic white beans took a minute, mixing it together took two minutes. Less than ten minutes, I had a meal. And yes it was DELICIOUS!! The only thing I would change when I make it again would be to serve the sage pesto on the side of the beans instead of mixing it all together. Give it a try. I am now ready to plant a lot more sage in my garden.
Sage Pesto
In a food processor blend together a hardy bunch of sage, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup pine nuts, 1/3 cup grated parmigiana cheese, a hint of salt and pepper. Slowly add olive oil to make a thick paste. Mix this into the beans or leave it on the side when serving.
And for leftovers.....just toss back in the blender and make a spread for bread.
It grows with whatsoever the person wants from it.
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