Italian Green Beans

Italian Green Beans

I inherited this recipe from a very good Italian cook many, many years ago. Like most recipes that are passed on as part of the oral tradition of a culture, there are variations but the essential ingredients remain the same. The quantity of ingreidents varies according to the amount of beans you have. I usually make this recipe when the wax beans are plentiful and fresh during the summer months. I have also made it with yellow beans and a mixture of both.

Put the whole beans in a pot and cover with liquid comprised of one part white vinegar and four parts water. Boil for about an hour (they need to be very tender). Drain in a colander and then wrap in a cotton dish towel to absorb any excess water. While still warm, place in a bowl, add chopped fresh basil (the quantity you use depends on the amount of beans and how much you like fresh basil), add olive oil (enough to coat the beans without having a pool of oil in bottom of bowl, freshly ground coarse salt and pepper.
They are tastier when they are served immediately and still warm. They can also be served at room temperature or even cold. You can make this a few days in advance as they keep well in the refrigerator.


Enjoy!!!