*Soak the dried cannellini beans 5-6 hours prior to cooking.  If you are using canned cannellini beans, you can skip the cooking and jump to step 4.

1. After the beans have soaked, drain and rinse. Put the beans in a pot and cover with  2-3 inches of water.

2. Bring the pot to a boil and skim off any foam.  Reduce the heat to a low. The beans will take 2-3 hours to cook. Cooking time varies depending on soaking time and the age of the dried beans, so just keep an eye on them.  Most of the liquid will be absorbed by the beans when they are ready and the beans will be soft. 

3. Once the beans have cooled to room temperature, add the cooked and drained beans to a food processor, blender or put the drained beans in a bowl if you will be using a potato masher to make the puree. 

4.  Finely chop fresh rosemary and garlic then add to the cannellini beans along with the olive oil, lemon juice and a bit of salt to taste. Mix thoroughly by pulsing, blending or mashing until you achieve the texture and creaminess you prefer. Taste and adjust by adding more rosemary, lemon or salt.

5. Put the pureed beans in a pretty serving bowl. Drizzle with a bit of good olive oil and top with a sprig of rosemary.