Divina Cucina

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Clean the Fridge Cassoulet

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summer cassoulet in Chianti with Kate

Following Kate’s lead on her Camp Cassoulet in Gascony, I was craving a Tuscan version.
Nothing says fall like beans and new oil, or sausage and beans.

finshed Tuscan cassoulet

But being bedridden, shopping was limited to the clean the refrigerator and pantry.

Found items:

1 bag cooked zolfini beans
1 can tomatoes
1 package Sardinian pasta Malloredus

Shopping ( sent hubby out!)
3 sausages

Rather like Iron Chef, creating something from nothing, ideas started flowing from my congested head.

  • Traditionally the Malloredus are sauced with a sausage and tomato ragu.
  • Tuscans do sausage and beans
  • Leftovers are often baked in the oven, mixed with béchamel sauce and covered with Parmesan cheese to create a crust.

“Nothing says lovin’ like something from the oven…”
the cassoulet concept was baked beans with pork, duck
and other luscious rib sticking ingredients.

I made a simple tomato and sausage ragu,
adding the zolfini beans, which I ate as a meal on it’s own,
saving some ragu for the baked version.

sausage ragu with zolfini beans

The Malloredus, are a dry pasta from Sardegna,considered a gnocchi.
I boiled them, drained them and left them to cool over night.

malloredus pasta with ragu

I made a thick béchamel sauce, added the pasta, and then stirred in the ragu.
In restaurants this is often served as a first course in winter and is called “strascicata.”

Placing the pasta in a baking dish with a generous grating of Parmesan cheese on top, I cooked until the cheese created a golden crust and the sauce was boiling underneath.

Tuscan “cassoulet” inspired version

Not cassoulet,
not macaroni and cheese,
but totally heartwarming on a cool fall night.

Thanks Kate for the inspiration!
( and the cassoulet pot from this summer’s class in Tuscany!)

Comments

  1. Kate Hill says

    Anyway, you look at it, Diva, French or Italian, these are great home cooking dishes. I love the simplicity of your shopping list. And look forward to the next time we get to cook together. Bisous, Kate

  3. Jerry says

    Judy – great selections to cure what ails you! I too have been craving comfort foods lately – I haven’t been ill like you but the change in the seasons makes me crave soups, stews, and casseroles.

    I hope you feel cloe to 100 % shortly!