Fasolakia
I made some Fasolakia the night before this! Simple and so delicious!! This recipe is a wonderful illustration of how Greek cuisine can take simple ingredients and turn them into a delectable and reassuring meal when done properly.e
Ingredients:
- 1 lb green beans, cleaned and trimmed
- 4 yellow potatoes, chopped into chunks
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 Roma tomatoes, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups water (or enough to almost cover the beans)
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp oregano
- Fresh dill or any fresh herb, for garnish
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Feta cheese, for topping
- Extra olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions:
- Cook the olive oil in a large saucepan at a heat setting of medium. The diced onion and the chopped potatoes should be added to the pan and sautéed for three to four minutes, until the onions become translucent and the potatoes start to get softer.
- After adding the garlic that has been smashed to the pan, wait one minute until the aroma is released. After stirring in the tomato paste, continue cooking for an additional two minutes, enabling the paste to get a minor caramelisation.
- It is important to blend the grated tomatoes and oregano together before adding them to the pan. Add salt and pepper to taste, and season with salt.
- To ensure that the green beans are well covered with the tomato mixture, mix them in with the mixture. Pour the water over the beans, making sure that it comes close to covering them.
- The mixture should be brought to a simmer. After covering the pan and cooking for twenty to twenty-five minutes, stirring the mixture periodically, the potatoes should be soft, and the green beans should be cooked but still tender.
- At regular intervals, check the level of the liquid. Add a little bit more water to the mixture if it starts to get too dry. In spite of the fact that the meal should not be soupy, there should be sufficient sauce to enjoy with some crusty bread.
- Take the beans and potatoes off the heat after they have reached the desired level of doneness. Place some fresh dill or any other fresh herb of your choosing on top as a garnish.
- A drizzle of more olive oil and crumbled feta cheese should be sprinkled on top. The flavourful tomato sauce should be served warm, accompanied with crusty bread, so that it may be soaked up.
- Utilise a combination of fresh and tinned tomatoes to provide a more complex flavour profile. Make a tiny reduction in the quantity of water if you would like the sauce to be more thick.
- It is possible to prepare this meal in advance, and I find that it tastes even better the next day when the flavours combine. If you want to add some variety to the dish, feel free to use additional veggies like carrots or zucchini.
- Take use of the big holes of a box grater while you are grinding the tomatoes to get a more chunky consistency.
Take pleasure in this healthful and traditional Greek cuisine, which is just ideal for a lunch with the family or as a component of a bigger Mediterranean buffet.