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
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