WINE & FOOD AFFAIR RECIPES

Side Dish

Romano Beans with Roasted Tomato Sauce and Pancetta

La Crema Russian Estate

3575 Slusser Road
Windsor, CA 95492
lacrema.com

Romano beans are a bit of an underdog. We love their meaty texture and broad surface area, which helps them stand up to slow cooking and hold sauces well. In wine country, romanos show up in the early fall, just as the last of the tomatoes are coming in. That happy convergence inspired these long-cooked beans that go with just about anything.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
  • 5 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cored and quartered lengthwise
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 8 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup medium-bodied red wine, such as Pinot Noir
Directions:
To prepare the roasted tomato sauce, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Divide the onion, garlic, thyme and oregano between the pans. Drizzle each pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season each with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. 

Transfer the pans to the oven and roast the tomatoes until their skins start to lift, 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove the pans from the oven. Place 1 pan on the stovetop over medium heat, add 1/4 cup of the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, then remove from the heat. Repeat with the remaining pan and 1/4 cup wine. 

Let the tomatoes cool to room temperature, then pass the tomatoes and their seasonings through a food mill. You should have about 4 cups tomato sauce.

Pancetta and Braised Beans

Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 pounds pancetta, cut into lardons 1/4 inch thick and about 1 inch long
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 pounds romano beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon sliced garlic
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
To prepare the pancetta and braised beans, line a plate with paper towels. In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, cook the pancetta, stirring often, until crispy, 10 to 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to the paper towel–lined plate.

In the same pan over low heat, combine the olive oil, romano beans, garlic and 2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add 3 cups of the tomato sauce, the pancetta and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the beans are very tender, about 30 minutes more. Add more tomato sauce if additional cooking time is needed.

Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve warm.