Serves 6 :

• 12 ounces dried baby lima beans (340 g)
• 1/4 pound pancetta (113 g)
• 1 stalk celery-1 carrot-1 medium onion
• 9 large cloves peeled garlic, divided
• 1 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes (794 g)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
• 6 links Italian poultry sausage (683 g)
• 4 ounces PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO rinds (113 g)
• 1 pound peeled and cubed butternut squash (455 g)
• 1 teaspoon sage (1 g)
• 1 ½ teaspoons rosemary (3 g)
• 1/4 cup flour (28 g)
• 3 cups chicken broth (354 ml)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 20 ounces cooked spinach, drained(567 g)

Preparation

1. Pick over beans, discarding shriveled ones.
2. Place in a bowl and cover with 4 cups (1 liter) water.Soak overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 325 F(163 C). Roughly chop together pancetta, celery, carrot, onion, and 1 clove of garlic. Drain tomatoes, reserving juice separately. Slice tomatoes and set everything aside.
4. Heat olivi oil in a large sautè pan set over medium. Add sausages and brown, 2 minutes each side. Remove pan from heat and trasfer sausages to the bottom of a 5-quart Dutch oven. Layer in rinds, drained beans, squash cubes, sliced tomatoes and remaining whole garlic cloves.
5. Place sautè pan back over medium. Add chopped ingredients, sage and rosemary.
6. Cook until softened, 6-8 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and mix well. Add reserved tomato juice and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer.
7. Season with salt and pepper. Pour content of sautè pan over ingredients in the Dutch oven.
8. Cover and bake 2 1/2 hours or until beans are tender.
9. Carefully remove cheese rids and cut into small cubes. Return cubes to stew and stir gently. Divide cooked spinach among 6 soup bowls. Ladle a sausage and beans into each.
10. Serve with additional grated Parmigiano-Reggiano al the table.