Green beans with pancetta and sage
Serve as a side dish to chicken or toss through pasta to make it a main meal in its own right, sprinkled with a little grated Parmesan. Add a pinch of chilli flakes if you like heat. You could also use a little very finely chopped rosemary instead of sage.
Ingredients
- 500g French beans, topped and tailed
- sunflower or light olive oil, for frying
- 250g pancetta, or bacon, cut into small cubes
- 8–10 sage leaves (depending on size), finely shredded
- splash of balsamic or sherry vinegar
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Boil the beans in a pan of salted water for 3 minutes. Drain, refresh in a bowl of ice cold water, then drain again once cooled.
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Step 2
In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over a medium heat. Add the pancetta and fry on a high heat, turning now and then, for about 5 minutes, until crispy.
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Step 3
Turn the heat a little lower and cook for a further 5 minutes to render any fat in the pancetta. Add the beans and sage and stir for 2–3 minutes, to finish cooking the beans. Add a splash of vinegar, a little good olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Step 4
Serve drizzled with any juices from the pan.