Heat olive oil in a wide skillet and add garlic. Cook briefly. Add white beans and heat through. Add sage, broth and pepper. Lower heat and simmer.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles. Cook until al dente; they should be cooked through but just barely. Drain pasta well. Place in a large serving bowl and toss with beans and about half the cheese, salting to taste. Top with remaining chesse. Garnish with fresh sage, if you have it. Serve with baked carrots and italian-style bread (or bread of choice).

In the summertime, you could add a cut-up garden tomato, or several quartered cherry tomatoes.

To bake carrots: Peel and trim 4 or 5 large carrots. Cut them on the diagonal about 1/2 inch thick. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil. Spread in a 9x13 inch baking pan (or on a shallow baking sheet). Season liberally with salt and pepper and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until browning and tender. These are also good if you throw in a few chunks of red bell pepper.

White bean vegetable soup: Add a diced carrot, onion and rib of celery to the olive oil when you add the garlic. Cook until soft, then proceed with recipe. Add a can of water when you add the broth. Cook 8 ounces of noodles separately as instructed in the recipe, then add to soup, adding more water or broth if you think the mixture is too thick. Serve in bowls with cheese on top.