Creamy White Bean, Sausage, Rocket Pasta

This is a lovely creamy pasta made with white beans and stock to make a comforting creamy sauce. Its a slightly healthier alternative to heavy cream sauces and you can punch it up with lots of cheese and peppery rocket.

Ingredients:

1 Can White Beans or Cannellini Beans
2 Cups of Vegetable or Chicken Stock
4 Sweet Sausages (I used Italian Fennel Sausages)
1/2 White Onion thinly sliced
2 Garlic Cloves crushed
1 Red Chilli finely chopped
50g Parmesan grated
150g Dried Pasta
Large Handful of Rocket
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Method:

1. In a sauté pan heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and add the sausages to the pan.
2. While the sausages are cooking open the can of cannellini beans and drain them in a colander.
3. Place half the cannellini beans in a large jug with half the stock and about half the grated parmesan. Blend it until it is smooth.
4. Once the sausages are cooked, remove them from the pan, and set them aside.
5. In the pan the sausages were in add a little olive oil if needed and fry the crushed garlic for a minute. Don’t let it brown and burn otherwise it will taste bitter.
6. Add in the sliced onions and cook until they soften. Once they are soft add in the chilli and let it cook for a minute.
7. In a large pot, boil water for the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions.
8. Chop up the sausages and add them to the onions and garlic in the pan. Pour in the white bean sauce and the remainder of the stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
9. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, and add it to the sauce.
10. Add in the remainder of the parmesan, a large pinch of salt and a some black pepper. Mix it around.
11. When you are ready to serve add in a large handful of rocket and serve. Don’t add the rocket too early otherwise it will go too soft and mushy
12. Top with some grated parmesan and enjoy.