You can find variations of this recipe all over the Middle East and Mediterranean. Often served as a side, it can be transformed into a main dish with the addition of fried eggs.
Makes four to six servings
Prep time: 10 to 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 medium red or white onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ¼ to ½ tsp. dried red-pepper flakes, to taste
- ¾ lb. flat, runner, or French green beans, trimmed
- 1½ cups roughly chopped tomatoes
- 2 heaping tbs. tomato paste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Squeeze of lemon juice
Directions
- Cook the onion in oil in a large frying pan over low heat until soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes, and continue to cook for another two minutes. Then add the beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, ½ cup water, and seasoning. Partially cover with a lid and cook until the beans are soft. Depending on their size, this will take 20 to 30 minutes.
- Taste the sauce and add more seasoning or red-pepper flakes as necessary. Squeeze in a little lemon juice. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipes excerpted with permission from Around the World in 120 Salads by Giancarlo and Katie Caldesi © 2017 Kyle Books, photographs © Helen Cathcart. No images may be used, in print or electronically, without written consent from the publisher.
Why No Numbers? Readers sometimes ask us why we don’t publish nutrition information with our recipes. We believe that (barring specific medical advice to the contrary) if you’re eating primarily whole, healthy foods — an array of sustainably raised vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, meats, fish, eggs, whole-kernel grains, and healthy fats and oils — you probably don’t need to stress about the numbers. We prefer to focus on food quality and trust our bodies to tell us what we need. — The Editors
