Greekroastedbeansintomatosaucegigantesplaki Recipes

FASOLAKIA (GREEK GREEN BEANS)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and stir in onion. Cook until onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Add green beans and stir to coat in the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Add pureed tomato, potatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir well, then add water until beans are barely covered.
• Bring to a simmer, partially cover with a lid, and cook gently over medium-low heat until green beans and potatoes are soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover towards the end of cooking to reduce sauce if it is too watery.

MOUSSAKA A LA GRECQUE

Steps:

• Peel the eggplant and slice it crosswise 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides of each slice lightly with salt, arrange in 1 layer on paper towels and let drain for 30 minutes.
• In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat; add as many slices as will fit in 1 layer and brown on both sides. Repeat the procedure with 4 tablespoons of the remaining oil and the remaining eggplant. Drain the eggplant as they are cooked on paper towels.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the onion to the skillet and cook until the onions are brown. Add the ground meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink. Combine the tomato paste with the wine, parsley, and cinnamon. Add this mixture to the skillet and simmer over low heat, stirring often, until all the liquid has evaporated. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
• In a sauce pan, over low heat, melt the butter, add the flour and whisk for 5 minutes. Turn up the heat to moderate and add the milk in a stream, whisking. Simmer for 5 minutes, add salt and pepper, to taste, and remove from the heat. Cool slightly and stir in the eggs, nutmeg, and ricotta.
• Grease and 11 by 16-inch pan and sprinkle the bottom lightly with bread crumbs. Arrange alternating layers of eggplant and meat sauce in the pan, sprinkling each layer with Parmesan and bread crumbs. Pour the egg sauce over the top and bake one hour in a preheat 350 degree oven, or until top is golden. Let cool twenty minutes before slicing.

FASSOLAKIA FRESKA ME DOMATA - GREEK GREEN BEANS & TOMATO

Steps:

• Wash the beans, cut off the tips and remove the stringy piece of fiber along the seam. Rinse the beans.
• In a soup pot, sauté the onions in olive oil with a wooden spoon until they turn translucent.
• Stir in the garlic and sauté a few minutes more. Add all the remaining ingredients and the water. Stir well, reduce heat, and simmer covered for 50 minutes or until the beans are tender. (Add more water if needed during cooking - boiling water.).
• Serve warm. On the side, consider tzatziki or feta cheese, and certainly some great country bread.
• Note: This serves 4 as a main dish, 6-8 as a side. For a more substantial dish, add 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks.

GREEK ROASTED BEANS IN TOMATO SAUCE - GIGANTES PLAKI

Steps:

• Soak the beans overnight, the longer, the better.
• Preheat oven at 350 Farenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
• Drain and rinse the beans and boil in water for about 40 minutes to an hour, until they are soft but not mushy. Make sure you boil them enough; otherwise the beans will be too hard to eat even after baking.
• Sauce - Sauté the onion in a bit of olive on low heat until soft and add the garlic cloves whole. If you want a stronger garlic flavor you can mince the garlic.
• Add the tomato (you can use cherry tomatoes cut in thin slices, but the traditional way is grating the tomato), the tomato paste, parsley, salt and pepper to taste and about ¼ cup olive oil. Let it simmer until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
• Once the beans have boiled, drain them and put them back into the pot, add the sauce and mix gently. Pour the mixture in a pan and spread evenly and then pour about another ¼ cup olive oil over the beans and bake for about 50 minutes until beans are tender.
• Accompany with feta cheese and bread.