Dishes We Love: Yeppa & Co’s green beans

Photo by Jose Pereiro

Yeppa & Co., the see-and-be-seen Italian restaurant in Buckhead, just opened a new location at Junction Krog District on the Beltline. Both locations of the buzzy eatery are known for their housemade pastas and potent cocktails, but one of their contornis (sides) has gained a cult following: the fagiolini.

Translation? Green beans. You know, the vegetable you tried to avoid as a kid.

“It’s one of our top side dishes,” says Julian Vaccaro, head chef at Yeppa’s Beltline location. “People love them. It’s one of the dishes I recommend most.”

Maybe because these green beans are a little more elevated than Mom’s. Yeppa’s preparation involves a multi-step process of blanching them, sautéing them in olive oil until they brown, and roasting them. Before they’re served, they’re finished with salt, butter, lemon juice, shallots, garlic, olive oil, and white wine.

Just the right blend of soft and crunchy, they pair well with the restaurant’s herb-crusted branzino. “Our green beans are a simple dish, but very bright,” Vaccaro says.

While the vegetable doesn’t typically show up on Italian menus, Yeppa Studios co-owner Stephen Peterson says it’s not for lack of authenticity. Growing up in Rimini, Italy, “we ate them all the time—hot, cold, or in a salad,” he says. “It’s a very homey side dish.”

Fagiolini Recipe (courtesy of Yeppa & Co.)

Ingredients

• 6 oz trimmed green beans
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ tablespoon butter
• ¼ teaspoon chopped garlic
• ¼ teaspoon chopped shallots
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ tablespoon white wine

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F                                                                                          
2. Blanch the Green Beans: 

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 2 minutes. Immediately transfer the green beans to a bowl of ice water to cool and stop the cooking process. Once fully cooled, drain and dry the green beans.

3. Sauté the Green Beans: 

In a sauté pan over medium heat, add extra-virgin olive oil. Add the blanched green beans and sauté until they develop a slight brown color. Remove from heat and cool the green beans in the refrigerator.

4. Roast the Green Beans: 

Place the green beans on a sheet pan and top with salt, butter, ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, chopped shallots, lemon juice, and white wine. Roast in the oven for 2 minutes.

5. Serve immediately while hot.

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