Chicken Sausage, White Bean and Sage Casserole

We spent New Year's Eve with our friends.
It is such a blessing to have great friends
that we have known for many years.
They have become part of our family.
I look forward to seeing what the
New Year will bring for each of them.


Chicken Sausage, White Bean and Sage Casserole
from Everyday Food
1/2 baguette (about 4 ounces), torn into pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/3 cup fresh sage leaves (about 25)
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound fresh chicken sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
3 cans (19 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained



Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse bread until very coarse crumbs form (you should have about 3 cups). Add 2 tablespoons oil; pulse briefly to moisten. Season with salt and pepper; set breadcrumbs aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add sage; cook until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sage to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside (reserve pan with oil).
Add onion and garlic to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add sausage and wine; cook, breaking sausage up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in beans; cook until beans are tender and creamy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer sausage-and-bean mixture to a shallow 4-quart baking dish;
scatter breadcrumbs over top. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until topping is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. Serve casserole topped with fried sage leaves.





I have made this dish a few times and each time I remember how much I like it. It is a hearty meal with wonderful flavors. The only thing I change about the recipe above is that I like to add a little grated parmesan cheese to the top with the breadcrumbs.