Soak the beans in water for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight.

Drain and rinse the soaked beans thoroughly.

In a large pot, combine the rinsed beans with 1 tablespoon of EVOO, chopped celery, garlic, onions, salt, and pepper.

Add enough water to cover the beans (approximately 1 quart) and bring to a gentle boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until the beans are tender, about 30 minutes, adding more water if needed to keep them submerged.

Puree half of the cooked bean mixture using an immersion blender or food processor. Set aside.

Bring the chicken stock/poaching liquid to a boil in a separate pot.

Add the long grain white rice to the boiling stock and stir to combine.

Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 16 minutes.

Stir in the chopped fresh parsley, thyme, and rosemary, along with 2 tablespoons of butter.

Cook for 1 minute more, then remove from heat and fluff the rice with a fork.

In a skillet, drizzle some EVOO and brown the Italian sausage (casing removed), crumbling it as it cooks over medium-high heat. Drain any excess grease.

Grease a large casserole dish with butter.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, half of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, the pureed beans, the whole cooked beans and vegetables, and the browned sausage.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and spread evenly.

Top with the remaining grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Allow the casserole to cool slightly, then cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Allow the casserole to come to room temperature before baking.

Bake until the casserole is heated through, approximately 20-30 minutes.

Before serving, drizzle with a little extra EVOO and garnish with the reserved fresh parsley and finely chopped red onion.

Serve hot, passing extra grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at the table.

For the Poached Chicken: Place the whole chicken in a large stockpot.

Add whole black peppercorns, coarsely chopped celery, crushed garlic cloves, a large fresh bay leaf, peeled and coarsely chopped carrot, sliced lemon, peeled and quartered onion, and an herb bundle of parsley, rosemary, and thyme tied with string.

Sprinkle the chicken generously with salt.

Cover the chicken completely with water and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and maintain a gentle simmer (a rolling simmer).

Simmer for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Allow the chicken to cool completely in its stock.

Strain the stock, discarding the vegetables and herbs.

Remove the chicken meat from the skin and bones, breaking it into large pieces. Reserve the meat for another use.

Use the strained stock as the 'chicken stock/poaching liquid' in the casserole recipe.