Categories: Casseroles, Meats, Sausages, Pasta 
      Yield: 4 servings 
  
    3/4 c  Dry red beans                       6    Italian-style sausages 
     12    Ripe plum tomatoes; -=OR=-               - each cut in 2-or-3 pieces 
     28 oz -Can whole peeled tomatoes          1 tb Minced garlic 
    1/2 lb Rigatoni                          1/2 c  White wine 
           -=OR=- other tubular pasta          1 tb Fresh oregano leaves; -=OR=- 
      2 lg Swiss Chard leaves                  1 ts -Dried oregano leaves 
           - (red or green)                  1/2 ts Salt; or as desired 
      1 tb Olive oil                         1/2 ts Ground black pepper 
  
  PLACE BEANS IN A POT with enough water to barely cover, cover the pot and 
  cook over low heat until beans are barely soft, about 2 hours. Add water to 
  keep the beans just covered as necessary. When beans are done, remove from 
  heat, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, cut the stems out of fresh tomatoes 
  and plunge them into boiling water for barely 1 minute, or until skins 
  crack. Remove from water, peel the tomatoes, cut them in half crosswise and 
  squeeze out the seeds. If using canned whole tomatoes, cut them in half and 
  squeeze out seeds. Cut each tomato half in quarters and set aside. Cook 
  pasta until barely soft according to the manufacturer's directions. Drain 
  and mix with the beans. Lay the chard leaves on a work surface and cut out 
  the center stem. Roughly chop the leaves and thinly slice the stems. Set 
  aside. 
   
  PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F. Combine oil and sausages in a Dutch oven, place over 
  medium heat and cook 3 minutes. Pour off the fat, add the garlic and cook, 
  stirring, another minute. Add the tomatoes, beans and pasta, wine, oregano, 
  chard stems, salt and pepper. Cover and place in the oven for 20 minutes. 
  When it's time to get dinner on the table, add chopped chard to the 
  casserole. If the casserole appears dry, add up to 1 cup water. Replace in 
  the oven for 5 minutes. Serve piping hot from the oven and offer grated 
  cheese. 
   
  MICHAEL ROBERTS - PRODIGY GUEST CHEFS COOKBOOK