Green beans with tomatoes and olive oil (Taze fasulye)

Taze fasulye is a staple dish in Turkey, typically served as a side dish with meats or as part of a mezze table. The name means "fresh beans" and it is part of the Aegean olive oil cuisine that is also influenced by Levantine and Greek styles of cooking.

It is traditionally made during the hot summer months when there is a need for lighter fare. The dish is served at room temperature or cold, and when part of a mezze table, it is eaten with bread and a drizzle of yoghurt. It also serves as a side with heavier roasted meats to balance the fat and richness with fresh flavours.

I loved the dish, which features a rich steak; the beans are light, and the tomatoes pop with a tart-sweetness. Biber salcasi is a red pepper paste that adds a deep flavour to the dish. For added variations, you can drizzle some whipped yoghurt or crumbled feta over the beans, especially if served as a meze dish.

This is a fantastic cookbook by a British chef who specialises in cuisines from the Middle East and Turkey. It is filled with recipes for kebabs, stews, other Turkish favourites, and some more contemporary dishes. Everything I have cooked from this book has been fantastic; it is one of my favourite Turkish cookbooks.

For more wonderful recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil + to garnish

2 onions, finely sliced

12 oz. baby green beans, stemmed and left whole

3 tablespoons biber salcasi

1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes, or to taste + for garnish

3 tomatoes, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt, to taste

1/2 cup water

Heat a wide pan on low heat. Add the oil and onions and fry until the onions are lightly golden and very soft.

Add the green beans, biber salcasi, Aleppo pepper, tomatoes, garlic, sugar and salt and stir well. Cover and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes. The sauce should thicken, and the beans should be very tender. If the sauce is too dry, add 1/4 cup of water.

Serve at room temperature, accompanied by an extra drizzle of olive oil and a scattering of Aleppo pepper flakes.