White Bean Pasta

This is one of my go-to budget midweek meals. Cannellini beans don't have a strong taste, so are perfect for absorbing the flavours of the herbs and stew they are cooked in, and yields a simple, tasty and comforting dinner served over some white rice, or brown rice gluten free penne pasta.  Since it's my go-to midweek meal, brown rice pasta hits the sweet spot of being high in fibre, but fast to cook.

Now, while the meal itself is a doddle to put together on the evening, it does require a bit of prep and foreplanning, but since I'm a mealplanner, that's ok!

This recipe feeds four, or 2 with plenty for leftovers the next day.

Ingredients:
1 cup cannellini beans, rinsed and soaked overnight.
3 cloves garlic.
1 bay leaf
A good swig of dry white wine or white sherry (optional)
1-2 tablespoons tomato paste (or a can of chopped tomatoes if you prefer)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Wash and soak the beans overnight. In the morning, they need to be boiled for 10 minutes.
Now, if you're not using a slow cooker, it'll get interesting, cos they need to be simmered for 1.5 hours. It's a lot easier to put the beans, bay leaves, herbs, boiled water and garlic into the slow cooker for 3 hours on low, using an electric timer.
That way when you come home, you can tip out the water and they're ready to use in your recipe.

Important note on slow cookers and quantity:
Make sure you fill the slow cooker between halfway and three quarters full, or use a small heatproof bowl inside a too large slow cooker to contain the beans so that the slow cooker doesn't cook too fast. If you don't have a suitable container or a smaller slow cooker, don't despair, just adjust the cooking time either longer (if the slow cooker is too full) or shorter (if it's too big).

That evening: Pour a little olive oil into a frying pan and add the drained contents of the slow cooker. Add the sherry, tomato paste and add more herbs as well as salt and pepper to taste and simmer on medium heat. I like to put the pasta on at the same time, as they are both ready in about 10 mintues.