Escarole and White Bean Sauce
Makes 5 cups; enough for 1 pound pasta
Cooking Time 9 to 10 hours on Low or 6 to 7 hours on High
Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: The moist cooking environment of the slow cooker turns beans perfectly creamy and
tender, so we set about using the slow cooker to create a sauce that paid homage to
the classic dish of beans, greens, and pasta. Cannellini beans offered an earthy flavor
and ultracreamy texture after simmering in chicken broth for several hours. Borrowing
a trick used in many stew recipes, we mashed some of the beans to help thicken the
sauce. For the greens, we opted for escarole, which we chopped and added to the slow
cooker for the last 20 minutes of cooking so it would wilt but retain its color. Diced
tomatoes and dried thyme, cooked with the beans, contributed brightness and woodsy
notes, and a Parmesan cheese rind (another trick used in stews and sauces) offered
complexity and bolstered the flavor of our sauce—and made use of an often-overlooked
byproduct of pasta night. For an easy garnish, we microwaved a few slices of chopped
bacon, then sprinkled the crisped pieces over the finished sauce for some crunch and
salty, savory bites. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
|
1 |
cup chopped onion |
|
5 |
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
|
1 |
teaspoon dried thyme |
|
8 |
ounces dried cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed |
|
1 |
(14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained |
|
5 |
cups chicken broth |
|
1 |
Parmesan cheese rind (optional) |
|
|
Salt and pepper |
|
½ |
head escarole, chopped coarse |
|
4 |
slices bacon, chopped |
1. Microwave onion, 1 tablespoon oil, and thyme in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in beans, tomatoes, broth, Parmesan rind, if using, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high.
2. Discard Parmesan rind. Transfer 1 cup of bean-tomato mixture to bowl and mash with potato masher until mostly smooth. Stir escarole and mashed bean mixture into slow cooker, cover, and cook on high until escarole is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Line plate with double layer of coffee filters. Spread bacon in even layer over filters and microwave until crisp, about 5 minutes. Before serving, stir in crisp bacon and remaining ¼ cup oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.