If you’re looking for the most frequently served summer dish by a Greek mom, well this is it! Green beans are one of the most cultivated vegetables in Greece and in summer you can find them in abundance and in different varieties.
Green beans cooked in tomato sauce is the most typical and Greek way to cook green beans. Moms love to cook it for their children…at least once a week!
It’s an easy dish and it’s healthy and veggie!
Green beans cooked in tomato sauce
Ingredients
Yields 4
1 kilo green beans cleaned and trimmed
2/3 kilo potatoes cut into large wedges
4 large ripe tomatoes skinned and crushed
1 large white onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove finely minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2/3 cup esti extra virgin olive oil
Salt pepper
½ cup freshly cut parsley
Heat the olive oil in a large cooking pot. Add onion and garlic and sauté. For about 5 minutes until the onion is soft but hasn’t gone brown (do not let it go brown!)
Add the beans and potatoes and sauté for some minutes more.
Dissolve the tomato paste in a cup of water. Add to the casserole the dissolved paste, the crushed tomatoes and parsley. Season and add ½ cup water. Lower the heat and let simmer for about an hour. Give it a look now and then in order to check the liquids. Don’t let it go dry.
After an hour the beans should be tender but not mushy. If the liquids are too much let the casserole with no lid for 5 minutes on the heat in order to reduce them.
This dish can be served at any time; if it has cooled it’s even better! Traditionally it’s served with feta cheese and bread!
Enjoy!