Italy Delicious
by Ashley Bartner
Green beans, runner beans, french beans or fagiolini — whatever you call them they are in-season on our farm! Here we pick them while they are still young & tender — not the huge knobby tough beans I was used to before. And don't even get me started on the difference between fresh picked beans and the soggy, salty ones I was force-fed to eat as a kid...from a can!! (No wonder so many kids grow up hating vegetables). Now I eat them right off the vine!
This is a delicious, fast, simple and healthy way to devour these fantastic green veggies. The crunchy, toasty almonds pair so nicely with the al'dente green beans, just begging you to go back for seconds - guilt free!
Sauteed Green Beans with Toasted Almonds
Ingredients
Serves 4
4 handfuls of green beans, trimmed and cut in half
2 cloves of garlic
Pinch of chili flakes
100 gram toasted almonds, chopped
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Directions
Tutti a tavola — everyone to the table!
1. Blanch your beans in boiling salted water for 3-8 minutes depending on the size and thickness of beans or until half cooked.
2. Drain and rinse under cold water.
3. In a frying pan slowly heat 3-4 glugs of olive oil along with the garlic and chili flakes.
4. When the garlic is nicely browned turn the heat up and add in the green beans and saute for a minute or two.
5. Add quarter cup of water. Allow the water to evaporate fully cooking the beans for about 3 minutes.
6. Season with salt & pepper.
7. Toss in toasted almonds.(If you like you can add in a squeeze of lemon.)
8. Serve. (Leftovers: also delicious served cold.)
Ashley Bartner is living the foodie dream in Italy. Together with her Chef-husband Jason, they own and run La Tavola Marche an organic farm, inn and cooking school in Central Italy's region of Le Marche.
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