White Beans and Fusilli

Ingredients

• 1 cup Great Northern cannelloni beans, soaked overnight in 3 cups of water to cover beans
• 1/2 tsps baking soda
• 1 bay leaf whole
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 cups walnuts
• 5 larges garlic cloves, peeled or smashed
• 1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tbsps Olive oil
• 1 lb fusilli or pasta shells
• 1/2 tsps Salt
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves ,chopped
• 1 bunch escarole, chopped
• 1/3 tsps dried rosemary
• 1 lemon , sliced

Directions

1.  Drop the bay leaf into the pot of water that the beans have been soaking in overnight. Bring the water to a boil, pour in the vegetable stock, and cook for 45 minutes or longer. The beans should be able to be easily pierced with a fork.

2.  Make the pesto: put all the pesto ingredients, except the oil, in a food processor and blend. Slowly add the oil and continue to process until it becomes a smooth paste. Set aside.

3.  Bring a large pot of water with the salt to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until it is al dente.

4.  Meanwhile, sauté the onions, garlic, escarole and the rosemary in 1 tbsp. of the olive oil until limp. Add salt to taste and mix in with the beans.

5.  Drain the pasta in a colander and pour into a large bowl. Add about ½ cup of the pesto or more to taste and toss well until it is distributed evenly and the strands of pasta are coated.

6.  Serve the pasta in 6 individual pasta bowls and ladle white beans on top. Garnish each with a slice of lemon.

Ingredient Breakdown:

White Beans

• 1 cup Great Northern cannelloni beans, soaked overnight in 3 cups of water to cover and ½ tsp baking soda
• Bay leaf
• 3 cups vegetable stock

Pesto

• ½ cup walnuts
• 5 cups fresh basil
• 5 large garlic cloves, peeled or smashed
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Pasta

1 lb fusilli or pasta shells

½ tsp salt

1 small onion, chopped (about ½ cup)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bunch escarole, chopped

1/3 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tbsp olive oil

Garnish

1 lemon, sliced

Serves: 6

Source: The Healthy Kitchen, Andrew Weil, M.D. and Rosie Daley, Alfred A Knopf, New York, 2002