Tomato Tomatoe

creamy romano beans

Growing up my grandparents would always preserve Romano beans every summer. They have become one of my favourite beans to eat and my sister and I carry on their tradition by preserving them every summer. If you can’t find Romano beans you can substitute with cannellini beans and it will taste equally as delicious. This dish is simple yet comforting and it’s perfect for a cold winter night. When you’re too tired to cook, this is the dish to make. Serve it up with a drizzle of good olive oil, parmesan cheese, crusty bread and you’ll be in heaven.

 

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creamy romano beans

Ingredients

• 3 cups Romano beans or one can of rinsed cannellini beans
• 1/2 head of fennel, diced into small pieces
• 1 white onion, diced finely
• 2 cloves garlic, minced finely
• 1 cup tomato purée or tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp Italian seasonings
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 cups of water or chicken stock
• Parmesan to garnish
  

Directions

1. Chop the fennel and onions into small pieces and mince the garlic. Heat a large pan to medium heat and add olive oil. Once the pan is hot, sauté the fennel and onion for 5-10 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic, spices and tomato paste. Let the tomato paste caramelize for a few minutes.
2. Add white wine and cook for a few minutes until the alcohol burns cooks off. Add the beans, tomato purée and water. Bring this to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cook for 30-40 min until the sauce has thickened.
3. Garnish with high quality olive oil, parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.