What a summer treat! Boil tender green beans with spaghetti and toss and turn (using a ‘tong‘) in a basil sauce made with fresh tomatoes.
Tip: the tomato is a fleshy fruit and not a vegetable and contains lots of essential healthy nutrients. The Spanish brought them to Europe and have become an important part of many recipes around the world. For this recipe I generally use red and yellow tomatoes, ‘i datterini gialli’; yellow tomatoes are sweet and delicious and red tomatoes always provide a balance of acid and sweetness.
The healthy tip:
Green beans or string beans generally make their appearance in summer. Raw, steamed, roasted or chopped they are an excellent source of soluble fiber which is important for gut health and red Tomatoes give you a healthy dose of lycopene.
Coming up: how colour can impact our perception of food.
The recipe
Fresh green beans, tomatoes, garlic, my fresh balcony basil, spaghetti, extra virgin olive oil, salt and ricotta salata cheese made from fresh ricotta cheese that is pressed, salted and dried for about two months. I generally grate it or crumble it over many dishes including lots of summer salads.
Let’s make this delicious piatto unico!
Trim, cut and rinse about 500 g green beans. If they are short don’t cut them. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. In a wok or large skillet, add about 5 tablespoons of EV olive oil and heat for about a minute then add 500 g chopped fresh tomatoes and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally over low heat. Add 5 basil leaves, salt to taste and add two grated garlic cloves. Add the beans to the boiling water. When beans are tender add the pasta, about 70/80 g per person; I generally use spaghetti rummo for this recipe. Cook the pasta ‘al dente’. Drain and keep some water (a cup). Add pasta and beans to the wok . At this point toss and turn with a tong, and make sure to adjust seasoning. Only use the water if necessary; the sauce should not be too thick. Remove from heat and drizzle with more olive oil and chopped basil.
Enjoy with lots of ricotta salata!
I cannot cook without my Aussie Tongs!
Tongs are the most useful kitchen utensils to grip, toss and turn the food you are preparing. I remove pasta from boiling water, turn a steak and grill vegetables with this versatile and amazing kitchen tool. Choosing proper handy tools in my kitchen has made an incredible difference.
Look at the tongs in this recipe!
History: maybe the first tongs came from the Egyptians. They were originally made from wood and then turned into bronze bars and today they are made from stainless steel.
