Cassoulet is a French stew - usually made with duck...but since I'm fresh out of duck - as in I NEVER cook with duck - I don't tend to make Cassoulet...but I came across this recipe for a duckless Cassoulet and waited patiently for a cold and blustery day to make it...didn't have to wait long. We had our first "wind storm" of the season yesterday - some power outtages, some trees down around the area but we just had a lot of little branches everywhere - just enough so that the mister got to fire up his blower. He likes nothing better than to walk up and down the drive/deck/path with his blower out in front of him - I infer nothing in that statement but take from it what you will. Every last pine needle gets blown to smithereens...he spends HOURS doing this - occasionally I'll hear nothing and then I'll know he is muttering a few choice words as he wrestles with the power cord - he wins the battle and the blowing begins again. We woke this morning to a beautiful day - no wind at all - but there was some additional debris that fell during the night - onto his pristeen drive. He would have immediately trotted out with his blower if I'd not stopped him with my kind, gentle plea...IT'S SUNDAY MORNING! People are sleeping in! They're relaxing, reading their papers - the LAST THING THEY WANT TO HEAR OR SEE IS YOUR BLOWER!! FREAK!! 
Cassoulet D'Amore, as you would have garnered from the name, is not all French - nope, it's basically an Italian Cassoulet...I used Italian sausage and Italian seasonings - but it's cooked like a Cassoulet...I would say it's a pretty good adaption of the classic French stew - but don't take my word for it - try it yourself - it's rich and hearty and any God-fearing peasant would be thrilled to get a helping of this after a long day in the Bastille!
You know by now that I love sausage - and beans - I have many, many recipes that use both of them. What I like about this dish is that it's on the table in less than an hour - and it's not only filling but delicious and like most stews, it's better the next day too...IF you have any left!
Cassoulet D'Amore - Adapated from Bon Appetit Magazine, December 1994
1 1/4 pounds sweet Italian sausage, sliced thin
6 green onions, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1 can (14 oz.) stewed Italian tomatoes
2 (15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Italian seasonings
1/2 cup fresh Italian or French breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine sweet Italian sausage, chopped green onions, chopped garlic and olive oil in heavy Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Saute until sausages begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in fresh tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, beans, parsley and seasonings. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sausage mixture into an 8x8x4-inch or thereabouts, glass baking dish. Combine fresh breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in small bowl. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over Cassoulet. Bake until Cassoulet is heated through, bubbling around edges and light brown on top, about 35 minutes. 
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