Words and photos by Susie Sandford Smith

I first had this dish, or something very similar (fasolakia), whilst staying in a beautiful little family run hotel in Crete when my kids were young. There were only a handful of rooms and, each evening at dinner we would traipse into the kitchen to see what was on offer. Or, should you feel so inclined, you could order skewers of meats beautifully barbecued over coals, and this was what my daughter always did. What wasn’t eaten at supper time was carried over to the lunch offering. The Greek really do excel at simple, tasty food, just the kind of stuff I like to eat, and I was absolutely in my element. I do think they’re at an advantage though with such gorgeous sun-ripened produce. If you’re going to use fresh tomatoes for this dish, do make sure that they’re lovely and ripe and bright bright red.

When I eat this dish I’m transported back to those holidays, to sunshine (of which we’ve had very little in London this summer), to breakfasts of yoghurt and honey, and eggs fried in olive oil. To swimming in the crystal-clear blue sea and hiking over rocks and through trees to reach the ‘secret’ beach. It’s amazing how food has the power to do this, don’t you think?

This would ordinarily be made with onion and very probably garlic but as I eat neither, I leave them out. If you wish to use, you would do so at the first step, cooking the onion first over a gentle heat until softened and then adding in the garlic, turning up the heat slightly, and cooking for a minute before continuing with the recipe.

Ingredients

70ml extra virgin olive oil

250g green beans, topped and tailed and cut into 3cm to 4cm lengths

400 – 500g tomatoes (or use a tin) skinned and roughly chopped

190ml water

A squeeze of lemon

A pinch of sugar

Salt and pepper

Dried oregano

Fresh herbs (dill works very well, as does parsley)

Optional 1 onion cut to a medium dice

Method

• Add the olive oil to a pan over a medium flame to warm the oil.

• If using onion add now, lower the flame, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is well softened (a good 10 to 15 minutes).

• Add the green beans and allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.

• Add in the tomato, dried thyme, and a pinch of salt and of sugar. Stir.

• Add in the water. Bring to the boil and then lower to a simmer.

• Leave to cook for an hour, stirring once or twice.

• After an hour or so, the beans will be nicely softened and the tomato, oil, and water will have bound together to make a beautiful sauce.

• Add a squeeze of lemon and taste. Add more salt to your taste and a crack of black pepper.

• Sprinkle of some fresh herbs to serve – parsley and dill work brilliantly.

Serve with rice or as a side to grilled meats or fish or indeed veg or halloumi. Or maybe have for breakfast with a fried egg on top and a crumble of feta. Or, this would be delicious as part of a bigger mezze type spread, alongside hummus and seasoned yoghurt and flat breads. It’s such simple food, comforting, no-fuss, perfect for the reticent cook.