The green beans in this dish are cooked a very long time until they are soft enough to be twirled easily with the pasta. Fresh garlic, crushed red pepper and tangy cheese add lots of flavor.

Makes 6 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 2 hours

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped
12 ounces long thin green beans, ends trimmed, cut into 6-inch lengths
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or water
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound whole-wheat tagliatelle or fettuccine
2/3 cup grated ricotta salata or crumbled feta cheese

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to release their fragrance. Add tomatoes, increase heat to medium-high and sauté, stirring often, until the tomatoes break down and begin to form a sauce, about 10 minutes.
2. Add beans, broth (or water), salt and pepper. Stir to coat the beans, cover and adjust the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook until the beans are very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Stir often near the end of cooking to prevent scorching. (The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the beans.) Taste and adjust seasonings.
3. Cook tagliatelle (or fettuccine) in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta-cooking water and drain the rest. Return the tagliatelle to the cooking pot. Add the sauce and toss, adding a little of the reserved pasta-cooking water if needed to help the sauce coat the noodles. Transfer to warm plates. Top each serving with ricotta salata (or feta).

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 340 calories; 5 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 5 mg cholesterol; 64 g carbohydrate; 15 g protein; 12 g fiber; 223 mg sodium; 309 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Selenium (79% daily value), Magnesium (27% dv), Iron (17% dv).
3 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 4 starch, 1 vegetable