Dinner Tonight: Stewed Green Beans in Tomato

7/27/2014

“This is often served as an entree in Greece,” writes Tessa Kiros in Food From Many Greek Kitchens, “with feta to mingle in with the sauce, and bread. Of course, it‘‍s also great served next to an entree such as roast meat or fish. I have also seen potatoes added to the stew.”

Stewed Green Beans in Tomato (Fasolakia Yachni)

From Tessa Kiros’‍ Food From Many Greek Kitchens, published by Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC.

1-3/4 pounds Italian flat beans

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped Italian parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cut the tops off the beans and string them if necessary. Rinse and drain, keeping them in your colander for now.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pot over medium heat and saute the onion until softened and almost sticky. Add the garlic and, when you can smell it, add the tomatoes, parsley, 2 or 3 grinds of pepper and a good amount of salt. Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and collapse.

Add the beans and 1 cup of hot water. Scatter the cinnamon over the beans and put the lid on. When it comes to a boil, turn the beans through, then put the lid back on and simmer until the beans are soft, about 20 minutes, mixing a few times so that no lonely beans sit out of the sauce for long.

At the end of this time there should be a good amount of thickish sauce. If you think it needs it, stir in a little water. Turn off the heat and leave them for awhile, covered, to absorb the flavors. Take the pot to the table and serve warm.

Serves about 6.