Molly Stevens is a food writer, editor and cooking teacher. She has won numerous “Cooking Teacher of the Year” awards and her cook books “All About Braising”, “All About Roasting” and her latest “All About Dinner” share her knowledge for “simple meals, expert advice”. She was a guest on a wonderful culinary podcast called The Splendid Table, and this is one of the the recipes she discussed.
Molly said she is a little obsessed with bean gratins; cozy make-ahead suppers that are satisfying and economical. This one “gets better with every bite, especially if that bite includes some of the crunchy bread crumb and cheese topping.” This could be a hearty side for a roast, good on a buffet table or even a main course with a side vegetable. I found the leftovers for lunch the next day were just as good, if not better.
About 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 links fresh Italian sausage (about 8 ounces) hot or sweet, casings removed
1 medium yellow onion (about 7 ounces) coarsely chopped
Salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
Pinch of mellow red pepper flakes, or crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
3 to 3 1/2 cooked white beans, such as cannellini or Great Northern, drained, or two 15-ounce cans white beans, rinsed and drained
One 14 1/2 can diced or crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup bread crumbs or panko crumbs
2 ounces Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup)
Hot sauce for serving (optional)
Heat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the upper third. Lightly oil a medium gratin dish, shallow baking dish, or ovenproof skillet (10-inch works).
Cook the sausage. Heat 2 Tsp. of the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and use a spoon or metal spatula to flatten it into large chunks. ( You get better browning on large flat chunks rather than crumbles.) Then cook, flipping it occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Break the sausage into bite-size pieces and transfer to the gratin or baking dish, leaving the fat and drippings behind in the pan. You should have a generous tablespoon of fat in the pan. If there is more, discard some; if less, add a little more olive oil.
Saute the aromatics. Return the skillet to medium heat, add the onion, season with a pinch of salt, and cook until softened and lightly colored, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and a few good grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring, until just fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the aromatics to the gratin dish.
Assemble the gratin. Add the beans, tomatoes, with their juice, and parsley to the sausage and onions in the baking dish. ( I like to combine everything directly in the baking dish to avoid dirtying a mixing bowl). Stir gently to combine without smashing the beans, then add a generous pour of olive oil (about 2 Tbs.) and season boldly with salt and pepper. Taste, being sure to taste both the aromatics and a bean, and correct the seasoning as needed. Use the back of a spoon to spread the bean mixture into an even layer.
Bake the gratin. Sprinkle the top of the beans with the breadcrumbs and cheese. Drizzle with 1 Tbs. olive oil. Bake uncovered, until heated through and beginning to brown on top, 30 to 40 minutes. If the top is not as brown as crisp looking as you like, slide it under the broiler for a few minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm, passing hot sauce at the table if you like.
Note: The gratin can be prepared ahead up to adding the crumb topping up to 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bake for an additional 20 minutes or so.
Serves 4 as a main course, 6 to 8 as a side.
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