Green Beans with Ricotta Salata – Dani Valent

Brilliant beans are the star in this super simple, healthy and delicious salad

Great served warm or cold, this is a simple vegetable dish that can easily be made with broccoli, broccolini, peas or snow peas, either instead or in combination. When you’re holidaying, it’s nice to cook together, so if someone asks you what they can do to help, get them to trim the beans.

Serves: 4-6 as a side dish
Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 big handfuls green beans (approx. 500 grams / 17. 5 oz)
  • 50 grams (2 oz) currants
  • flaked salt
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 100 grams (3.5 oz) ricotta salata (see Tips)
  • 1 piece preserved lemon (see Tips)

Method

1. Trim the stalk end of the beans.

2. Soak the currants in a little water to plump them up.

3. Place about 3cm water in a saucepan with a lid. Add a large pinch of salt and the beans. The beans don’t have to be submerged. Put the lid on, turn heat to high and cook for about six minutes, or until the lid is dancing and the beans are just cooked. In a Thermomix, place 500 grams (17.5 oz) of water in mixing bowl, beans in Varoma and cook 12 min/Varoma/speed 2 or until beans are just cooked.

4. Strain the beans. Refresh in iced water if serving cold, then strain. Toss beans with half the olive oil and place in a serving bowl.

5. Strain the currants, crumble the ricotta and finely slice the preserved lemon.

6. Scatter beans with currants, ricotta and lemon. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and scatter with remaining salt, to taste.

Tips

  • ricotta salata is a firm salted ricotta; it’s available in delicatessens. Firm fetta is a great substitute, or you could even use thin shavings of parmesan.
  • preserved lemons are available in delicatessens but it’s easy to make your own, as I show in my video. You could use lemon zest instead.

More about this recipe

  • This recipe first appeared in a Good Food article about cooking on holidays. The lovely pic is by Simon Schluter.
  • Want more healthy, simple, veg-focused meals for the whole family? Check out my list over here and while you’re there, watch my interview with cooking legend Stephanie Alexander and chef Curtis Stone.
View PDF
I love my Elk top & Obus pants

What's this site all about?

My business card says ‘Writer. Eater. Traveller. Cook.’ I do all these things with equal passion, which is why I’m sometimes sitting at my laptop with an apron on! This is where I share all my best bits of writing, recipes and videos. There are free areas of the site where you can stay up to date with my journalism and get a taste of my cooking adventures. Sign up as a member and you’ll get access to my awesome and ever-growing library of cooking videos and recipes, focusing on Thermomix.

This is a place for inspiration, chefs’ secrets, practical tuition and happy creativity. If you like cooking and eating delicious food and basking in the compliments of family and friends, this site is for you. You’ll be amazed what you can create with my recipes and videos as your guide.

See what recipes are available here.

What do members love about the site?

Become A Member

© Dani Valent 2024