Italian yellow flat beans with olive oil, garlic and tomatoes

A lesser known bean variety and one you should put on your market list is the yellow Italian flat beans that are available for a short time during the summer. For reasons that escape me, they are called wax beans.

Young and fresh Italian beans will be flat and smooth. If they have bumps over the beans inside then they are beginning to age and will not be as tender.

Since they are “Italian”, I thought I’d treat them with Italian style preparation. Olive oil, garlic and tomatoes are the simplest flavour enhancers and work like magic with these beans.

I had a bowl full of beautiful heirloom cherry tomatoes and used them in this recipe but any good ripe tomatoes will work as well.

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We have been house bound this weekend with heavy smoke from the US fires settling in the valley. We can barley see across the street and there is heavy smoke smell outside. It is even noticeable indoors. can’t be good for you.

This however didn’t stop my activity in the kitchen. We had lovely company this weekend from out of town and I had the opportunity to make a few breakfasts, dinners and appetizers so I have a few nice dishes to share with you in the next few days.

Stay tuned.

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Ingredients:

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1 lb Italian flat yellow beans

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 fresh red shallot or a small new white onion, chopped

2 closes garlic, minced

A few sprigs fresh thyme

1 basket cherry tomatoes, halved, heirloom of you have them

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Directions:

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Trim the beans as necessary and drop into a pot full of boiling slated water.

Cook until the beans are crisp tender, then remove and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a skillet.

Add the chopped shallot or onion and cook over medium heat until tender, about 4-5 mionutes.

Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant.

Add the tomatoes and continue to cook until the tomatoes soften.

Add the cooked, drained beans and heat them up in the skillet, mixing with a wooden spoon to coat them with the aromatics. You can add a little olive oil if necessary.

When the beans are warmed up remove from heat and serve warm.

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