Tuesday Tart: Nani's Tortino di Fagiolini



I give this tart a 5 ***** rating. Trust me, it's a winner.
I loved this simple tortino (pie) and can't wait to make it again and again.

This is like a spiffed up green bean casserole if you really look at it.

You fry the wonderful onions and garlic and add them to cut up cooked green beans (fagiolini). Flat Italian Romano beans would be ideal in this recipe, but I am rarely lucky enough to find them, so I used haricot vert.



I served this with a side of little roasted pomordorini for a fantastic light supper.

Excellent.

Tortino di Fagiolini (green bean tart!) from Nani's Restaurant: adapted from the L.A. Times

1 1/2 pounds green beans (Roma, haricot vert or regular green beans)
salt & pepper
olive oil
1 red onion, sliced thin
2 small garlic cloves, chopped
5 eggs
1/2 cup grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup milk
1 cup ciabatta bread crumbs

Start by lining an 8" or 9" springform pan with foil.
Butter it well, and even spray it with some PAM if you can, so the tortino doesn't stick.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the green beans and boil just until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the beans, and immediately shock them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. When the beans are just cool, drain again. Coarsely chop the beans into pieces approximately 1 1/2 inches in length and place in a large bowl.

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat until hot. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent and begin to color.

Stir in the chopped garlic and continue to cook until the onion is caramelized, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and cool slightly, then toss the onions and garlic with the green beans.

Meanwhile, make the egg base: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, milk. Season with salt & pepper (You need about a 1/2 teaspoon of salt here, at least).

Stir the egg mixture into the green bean onion mixture in the bowl and pour into your prepared well greased foil lined pan.



Spread the breadcrumbs on top of the pie and press down. Drizzle with some olive oil so the crumbs crisp up. I added some extra Parmigiano Reggiano for good luck!



Bake for 30-35 minutes until the tortino is set. Let cool on a rack and remove from the springform pan.



Best served warm, but also excellent at room temperature.



5***** rating! Yummy!

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Comments

The JR said…
It looks like a 5!
Claudia said…
Never, ever would it have dawned on me to put string beans in a tart. I have no imagination - looks grand.
Anonymous said…
Yours looks more appetizing than the pix in the L.A. Times. I'm going to make one to serve with the split pea soup from my Easter ham bone. And my color accent will come from a little fresh grape tomato/herb salad in a lime/balsamic vinaigrette. Dinner's on the table!
Melissa said…
I always look forward to your Tuesday Tart posts!
Dana said…
This looks so great! I love crustless pies like this one! We went to an Easter dinner where someone made green bean casserole with canned green beans and about 14 pounds of bright orange Cheddar cheese on top. It was very sad.
Joanne said…
That breadcrumb crust is what's really calling to me. Would it be weird if I made this for the crust?
I'm with Claudia, I never would think to use string beans alone in a tart. If you give it a 5 star rating, I'm all over it!
Oui, Chef said…
Oohhh...when I first saw your photo I thought that there were thin asparagus in your torte, and while I'm a big fan of asparagus, I am always looking for new ways to do green beans. A keeper indeed!
Really good! Mine needed to cook longer and next time I'll bump the temperature up to 400. This would be really great with cauliflower too! Loved it for breakfast.