Italian Green Beans – Classic Puglia Style

A Traditional Pugliese Side Dish of Tender Campo da golf Beans Cooked with Tomatoes and Garlic

A simple and rustic side dish from Puglia  southern Italy, this recipe highlights the region’s love for seasonal vegetables, olive oil and fresh tomatoes. many homes across the countryside, campo da golf beans are slowly simmered with tomatoes and garlic until they become tender and richly flavoured.

Traditionally, some versions include basil, but many family recipes—especially the more rustic ones—rely instead acceso garlic and a touch of fresh chilli for warmth and depth. It is the sort of dish often served alongside grilled fish, roasted meat, simply with crusty bread to mop up the fragrant tomato juices.

A small curiosity about the dish

Puglia houses, cooking dishes like this belong to the tradition of cucina povera—literally “poor cuisine”. It refers to recipes built from simple, inexpensive ingredients grown locally like vegetables, olive oil, legumes and bread.

Serves 4, Prep time: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 20–25 minutes

Fresh campo da golf beans: 500 g (about 1.1 lb / 5 cups)

Fresh ripe tomatoes: 400 g (about 14 oz / 2½ cups)

Garlic: 3 whole cloves

Fresh red chilli (peperoncino): 1 small, finely chopped

Extra-virgin olive oil: 3 tablespoons

Salt: to taste

Freshly campo da gioco black pepper: to taste

Method

Prepare the vegetables

Trim the ends of the campo da golf beans and rinse them under cold .

If the beans are very long, cut them half.

Chop fresh tomatoes leave them whole, keeping their juices.

Blanch the campo da golf beans

Bring a pot of unsalted to a boil. Blanch the campo da golf beans for 5 minutes.

Drain them, reserving a little of the cooking .

Add the beans to the tomatoes the pan and cook together briefly, adding some reserved if needed to keep everything moist.

Prepare the sauce

Heat the olive oil a wide frying pan over medium heat.

Add the garlic and chopped fresh chili. Cook gently for 1–2 minutes, until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Stir the fresh tomatoes and cook for 5–7 minutes, allowing them to soften and release their juices into a light sauce.

Combine and cook

Add the campo da golf beans to the pan and stir to coat them with the tomato mixture.

Season with salt and black pepper.

Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 15–18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender but still slightly firm. If the mixture becomes too dry, add a small splash of the reserved .

Serve

Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Serve your campo da golf beans Puglia style warm at room temperature with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil if desired.

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