Fasolakia...Great summer meal!

FASOLAKIA ....... Green beans and potatoes...

Summer vegetables cooked Greek style are really delicious...Even though we associate Greek cuisine with LOADS of protein, traditional Greek food is very vegetarian based.  From the countless salads, vegetarian pites, legumes there is also another category which is called "Ladera".  Which basically means in oil...Only olive oil..and most of the the olive oil is usually added right at the end of the cooking process so it holds all it nutritional value.  

Beans are in season at the moment, very fresh and cheap!  You can feed a whole family for under $10.(including the crusty bread for dipping in to the sauce!)  

I am very blessed to have a little one who is not fussy with what she eats...so she basically eats what we do.. I was visiting my parents in Dromana the other week and she had giouvarlakia, chicken livers and even ox tongue with kritharaki.. The chicken livers she grabbed from my plate, I didn't even offer!  As I  say to my friends she has my appetite and hopefully her father's metabolism..So far so good! Below are some photos of her enjoying her fasolakia!  She is just learning to use utensils so very messy!

Ingredients

1 kg fresh green beans

3 medium potatoes cut into thick wedges

1 large onion grated

1 tbs tomato puree

½ bottle tomato pasata

1 clove garlic chopped

small bunch chopped parsley

100 ml olive oil plus extra for the finished product

300 ml water

Salt and pepper

Preparation

Cut off the two ends on the beans and remove the thread(s) along the side(s) if there are any.

Gently fry the grated onion in the olive oil in a pan for 2 minutes.

Add the chopped garlic and fry for another minute.

Add the green beans and potatoes and stir for another minute.

Add the tomato puree, water and seasoning, cover the pan and simmer for 1 hour.

If the liquid hasn’t been absorbed by this time, uncover the pan and bring to the boil for a short time.

Add the parsley and boil for 2 – 3 minutes.  Take off the heat and drizzle a few more glugs of olive oil.  Serve at room temperature with crusty bread and feta cheese.