4 oz fresh crumbs from good quality crusty country bread, such as ciabatta, (the easiest way to get crumbs from fresh bread is to pulse it in the food processor, but a box grater can also be used)
¼ c. extra virgin olive oil, divided
⅓ cup whole fresh sage leaves (about 25)
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb chicken sausage, casings removed
½ cup dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio, which also paired nicely with the finished dish)
2 14.5-oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9X4 baking dish with olive oil or nonstick spray.
Drizzle about 2 T olive oil over the bread crumbs to moisten. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 T olive oil over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and fry gently, stirring periodically, until the leaves are crisp, then remove them from the pan onto a paper towel.
Add a little more olive oil if the pan looks dry, then add the onions and garlic to the pan and saute until golden brown and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the chicken sausage, breaking it up with the back of a spoon, and cook until no longer pink. Add beans, then wine to the pan and scrape any browned bits off the bottom. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until wine has been mostly absorbed and beans are creamy. Season to taste. (I find this benefits from a good turn of the pepper grinder). Crumble about 5 sage leaves into the chicken mixture and put it in your prepared pan.
Crumble an additional 5 sage leaves into the breadcrumbs, then sprinkle them atop the chicken mixture and bake in a preheated oven 15-20 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are crisp and golden.
Notes
Adapted from Martha Stewart via Peanut Butter and Jargon
Recipe by The Domestic Front at https://www.thedomesticfront.com/in-the-rotation-chicken-sausage-with-white-beans-and-sage/