White Beans with Tomato, Roasted Prosciutto, and Sage
Roasted prosciutto adds a lovely saltiness and crunch to the yielding, tender texture of the beans in this salad. A lot of fresh sage adds singular color and aroma.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dried great Northern beans or cannellini beans picked over
- 1 small onion
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 thyme sprig
- 3 cups water
- 2 garlic cloves
- 6 plum tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped sage leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Soak the beans in water to cover overnight. The next day, drain them. Peel the onion, and stud it with the cloves.
- In a large saucepan, combine the beans, onion, bay leaf, sprig of thyme, and water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam on the surface, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes, until the beans are tender. Drain the beans in a colander and remove the onion, bay leaf, and thyme sprig. Let cool.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Peel, trim, and mince the garlic. Wash and core the tomatoes. Grate them, one at a time, on the largest holes of a box grater.
- In a skillet, heat the olive oil, add the garlic, and sauté, stirring, until it starts to brown. Add the sage and cook for 2 minutes. Add the grated tomatoes, stir to combine, and add the salt. Simmer, stirring once, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Spread the prosciutto out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast until crisp, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the beans and tomato-sage sauce. Crumble the prosciutto into the bowl, season with freshly cracked pepper, and serve.