Peixinhos da horta – breaded green beans

© Markus Biedermann

Although meat and seafood dominate much of Portuguese cuisine, there are also popular recipes that are perfect for vegetarians. One of these is Peixinhos da Horta – breaded green beans. Because of the vegetable’s resemblance to small, colourful fish, the recipe translates as “little fish from the garden”. The beans are eaten as a starter or snack with dip or a squeeze of lemon juice.

Ingredients for 4 servings

• 400 g bush beans 
• Salt, pepper, cumin 
• 120 g spelt flour 
• 10 g corn starch 
• Salt, paprika, cumin, fennel 
• 3 eggs (or aquafaba)
• 200 g breadcrumbs 
• 50 g hard cheese like Sbrinz, grated
• 5 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Weigh and prepare all the ingredients. Wash and prepare the beans.
2. Blanch the beans briefly in boiling salted water, drain and cool.
3. Prepare the flour-starch mixture in a plate and season. Beat eggs and season (for vegan version: use aquafaba instead of eggs). Mix breadcrumbs with grated hard cheese. Preheat oven with fan to 195 °C.
4. Flour the beans, pass through the egg and coat in breadcrumbs. Spread the breaded beans on a baking tray lined with baking paper. 
5. Bake in the oven until the beans are nice and golden brown. Serve warm. The baked beans can also be reheated. Brush everything with egg. 

Suitable dips: Hummus, tartar sauce, garlic mayonnaise.