This delectible dish was conceived when it was reasonably cool out (this morning), but whew, the oven just heated the apartment to almost unbearable. This would be fabulous in a crock pot too, though not an all day affair.
Here are the ingredients:
1 lb sausage (I used chicken sausage here, but I would definitely change to sweet italian sausage next time)
4 plum tomatoes chopped (or a pint of grape tomatoes - today I only had 2 plum tomatoes, so I added 8 oz of tomato sauce)
1 large onion cut in 1 - 1.5" chunks
4 large garlic cloves, sliced (not too thinly)
3 T olive oil
1.5 T balsamic vinegar - if you have the good stuff, don't hesitate to use it - it's only a small amount and it makes a huge difference!
2 t dried thyme
3 small bay leaves
s&p
1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1 10 oz pkg frozen spinach
1/2 C water
Adjust oven rack to lowest position, and heat to 350. Mix all ingredients up to and including the salt and pepper in a dutch oven. Roast about an hour, until the tomatoes break down and make a nice sauce.
Remove from the oven, add the beans, spinach and water, and simmer on the stove top for 5 minutes or until heated through.
Serve in a bowl or on a plate - your choice, but add a light drizzle of fruity olive oil over the top - it makes the beans sing :) Enjoy with crusty bread and a nice Rioja :)
