Before the summer season ends, I wanted to share with you an old Sicilian family recipe that my mom used to make years ago with green beans and tomatoes, or as we call them here, fasulini cu pumaroru! It’s a really easy and tasty vegetarian-style side dish. Traditionally, they are made in a pan accompanied by some toasted bread or croutons, but in my version, they are baked and further enriched with slices of spicy provola, in my case from Nebrodi, Sicilian pecorino, some Etna olives, and topped with breadcrumbs for the final gratin! Few simple and genuine ingredients make this dish rich and succulent, and believe me, even if etiquette doesn’t allow it, here you’ll want to mop up the sauce with bread!
If you love this vegetable, also try these ideas featuring green beans as the undisputed stars:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Steam, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs green beans
- 2 cups tomato puree
- 1.7 oz Sicilian pecorino (grated)
- 3.5 oz provola (spicy)
- 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 oz black olives (from Etna)
- 1 clove garlic
- 5 leaves basil
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Tools:
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog supports me and my work, at no additional cost to you!
- 1 Knife
- 1 Steamer
- 1 Slotted Spoon
- 1 Pan
- 1 Baking Dish
Steps:
Wash and trim the green beans.
Steam them for about 22 minutes or alternatively in boiling salted water, then drain them with the help of a slotted spoon and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a pan, brown the garlic clove with a few tablespoons of oil.
Add the tomato puree, the basil, and a pinch of salt and cook for about ten minutes over low heat.
Once ready, spread 2-3 tablespoons of sauce over the base of a 13×10 inch baking dish and create a first layer with half of the green beans.
Add 50 grams (1.8 oz) of sliced provola, some pitted olives, and adjust the salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with half of the grated pecorino.
Cover the entire surface with a layer of sauce.
Repeat the operation forming a second layer until all ingredients are used up.
Finally, sprinkle with the breadcrumbs, preferably homemade for extra crunchiness, and bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 30 minutes or until a nice crust forms on the top.
At the end of cooking, complete with some basil leaves or fresh thyme. Let it cool slightly and serve.
And voilà… your baked green beans with tomatoes are ready to be enjoyed!
Enjoy your meal from La Cucina di FeFè!
It’s also delicious cold!
Storage
👉 You can store the baked green beans with tomatoes in the fridge in a suitable refrigeration container for 2-3 days and heat it conveniently in the microwave for 2 minutes or in a hot oven for 10 minutes.
