← Nouns Cooking · Italian

Ingredients

• 500 g Green beans, topped
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves Garlic, sliced
• ½ Onion, finely chopped
• 1 can tin of peeled tomatoes (400 g), crushed
• 100 ml Water
• 1 handful basil leaves
• 80 g Pancetta or guanciale, diced (optional)
• Salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Warm the oil in a wide, lidded pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic (and the pancetta, if using) and cook for 5 min until soft.
2. Pour in the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and simmer for 5 min.
3. Add the beans and 100 ml water, stir, cover and cook over low heat for 25 min, stirring now and then, until the beans are very tender and have soaked up the sauce.
4. Uncover, let any extra liquid bubble away for a few minutes, then tear in the basil, season with pepper and serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips

• These are meant to be soft, not crisp; Italians cook them until they bend completely.
• Adding the pancetta makes them richer but no longer vegetarian.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

GialloZafferano Marcellina in Cucina