Italian Flat Green Beans with Garden Fresh Tomatoes

Every year in our vegetable garden, we grow two varieties of beans – String beans and Italian flat beans.  Italian flat beans are also known as Italian Pole or Romano beans.  They are broad, flat podded, green snap beans with 5 to 6 inch pods.  

 Italian flat beans can be eaten in two forms. The first green ones are eaten whole, pod and all. They are crispy and crunchy, with a mild beany flavor.  Italian flat green beans can also be found in farmers' markets.






Dried beans

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We also allow them to mature on the vine so that we have dried beans. They have more nutritional value but require a long cooking time to soften . They are great for soups and casseroles. 

We plant the flat beans seeds directly               

into moist soil in mid-spring and they      

mature in the summer.

                                                                       

Beans on vines

                           

Seeded flat beans


We provide support for the bean vines

to climb and grow.

Italian Flat Green Beans with Garden Fresh Tomatoes

Ingredients

2 lb. Italian flat beans
3 fresh tomatoes chopped
Sprig of basil and parsley
2 cloves of garlic whole
1/4 cup olive oil
2 hot peppers (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Add oil in a pan and saute' garlic until golden.  Add the chopped tomatoes, basil and parsley. salt and pepper and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, in a pot of salted water, cook the flat beans until tender.  Do not overcook.  Drain beans, mix with sauce and serve.