The season for both fine and runner beans is soon coming to an end, so here are two quick and easy recipes using both. Beans in a spiced tomato sauce is common across the Mediterranean, and especially in the Middle East, where they appear in various meze combinations all around the region. The flatbread recipe that goes with them is a really useful one to have to hand, because it’s basically an instant bread without any proving, relying instead on baking powder and bicarbonate of soda as raising agents. Fattoush, meanwhile, is traditionally made with cucumber, tomatoes, herbs and toasted pitta, but why stop there? It’s a wonderful salad, lightly spiced and with a lovely crunch from the bread. Use any veg you fancy, though it’s a good idea to dress them all separately, especially cooked ones while they’re hot, so they soak up the dressing.
