Tuscan White Beans with Crispy Breadcrumbs and Greens

Soak the dried cannellini beans in cold water overnight, or for at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse before cooking.

In a large pot, combine the soaked beans with 8 cups of fresh water. Add 4 whole garlic cloves (lightly smashed), 4 sage leaves, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and the Parmesan rind. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Cook the beans at a bare simmer for 60-75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not falling apart. Add the salt only in the last 15 minutes of cooking (adding it earlier toughens the beans).

While beans cook, make the breadcrumbs: Tear the stale bread into rough chunks. Pulse in a food processor until you have coarse crumbs. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the breadcrumbs, and toast for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and crispy. Season with salt and set aside.

Wash and roughly chop the kale or chard, separating stems from leaves. Chop stems into small pieces.

When beans are tender, remove from heat and let them cool in their cooking liquid for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the Parmesan rind. Drain beans, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

In the same large skillet used for breadcrumbs, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Mince the remaining 2 garlic cloves and add to the oil with the remaining sage leaves and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the chopped greens stems and cook for 2 minutes, then add the leaves. Cook until wilted, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the cooked beans to the greens along with 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Toss gently to combine. If the mixture seems dry, add more cooking liquid. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serve the beans in shallow bowls, topped generously with crispy breadcrumbs, a drizzle of your best olive oil, grated Parmesan, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.