As Anna Del Conte notes in Amaretto, Apple Cake and Artichokes, the herb of northern Italy is sage, ’the flavour of which combines so ideally with butter, the cooking fat of the northern regions, and veal, Lombardy’s most popular meat’.

Cannellini Beans with Garlic, Sage and Oil

This is delicious served as an accompaniment to robust sausages or chicken. Of course, fresh beans or tinned beans could be used in place of dried beans.

200g dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight
3 tbsp olive oil
A sprig of sage
2 cloves garlic
½ onion, finely sliced (optional)
3 tomatoes, skinned and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Drain the cannellini beans and put them in a pan with fresh water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until tender. Add salt only in the last minute of cooking. Rinse and drain.

Put most of the oil in a sauté pan and gently fry the onion (if using). When soft add the garlic, peeled and crushed, and the sprig of sage. Cook until the sage starts to sizzle, then add the tomatoes and cook for three minutes. Add the beans and four tablespoons of water. Season and cook gently with a cover over the pan until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Serve warm with the last of the olive oil poured over

The sprig of sage can be left in or removed. I like to replace it by scattering over a few freshly fried sage leaves.