Haricots Verts with Hazelnuts (Fagiolini Alle Nocciole)
The classic combination of green beans and hazelnuts is as healthful as it is tasty. Variations of this dish can be found throughout Italy during the appropriate season. Hazelnuts are one of the oldest cultivated crops in Europe; records of them being traded from the ports of Genoa go back to the 11th century. Currently, Turkey and Italy produce the majority of the world’s hazelnuts.
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- Prep time
- 5 min
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- Cook time
- 15 min
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- Servings
- 6 Servings
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- Serving size
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1/2 cup
Ingredients
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haricots verts (green beans), stem ends trimmed
- 1 1/2 lbs
- 680 g
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extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp
- 2 tbsp
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yellow onion, diced
- 1
- 1
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unrefined sea salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp
- 1/2 tsp
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freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp
- 1/8 tsp
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hazelnuts, blanched
- 1/3 cup
- 1/3 cup
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Directions
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Preheat oven to 375°F.
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Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add haricots verts. Reduce heat to medium and cook until just tender, 3–4 minutes. Drain, and plunge haricots verts into an ice-water bath to chill. Drain, and set aside. (This can be done up to a day in advance.)
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Heat 1 tablespoon. oil in a large, wide skillet over medium heat Add onion, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are light golden brown, 4–5 minutes.
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Meanwhile, place hazelnuts in a baking pan and toast in the oven until they darken, 5–7 minutes. Chop roughly and set aside.
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In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add haricots verts and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Add cooked onions and hazelnuts and cook 1 additional minute. Transfer to a serving dish, and serve.