They have so many names (by the way, how do you call them?), But just as many ways to be brought to the table and enjoyed
Agretti, roscani, priest's beard, friar and cappuccino, troughs, bones, toads. They are just some of the names that this vegetable it assumes depending on the place where it is grown and prepared in many recipes. For convenience we will talk only about agretti and you will soon understand that the many names used to call them are still few compared to the ways to enjoy them.
The properties of the agretti
We begin to discover, before combining them in the kitchen, all the curiosities about agretti. There plant it is small and almost always blooms in early spring. It is a plant rich in water and its flavor, which recalls the name of the vegetable, is acrid and very acidulous.
Agretti are part of the popular tradition, they have been accompanying the "poor" dishes of Italian cuisine for many years, they are a lot purifying (also due to the large amount of water and mineral salts they contain), they are rich in vitamins, calcium, potassium and iron and are low in calories, therefore ideal in low calorie diets and for those suffering from high cholesterol.
Growing agretti
If you have a garden, a small one vegetable garden or at least a balcony large enough to be able to put vases, you can easily cultivate them. In fact, agretti do not require special care or even much care water to grow well. They are sown throughout the winter and then harvested at spring forwarded.
Cooking the agretti
From the harvest to the table, very few steps will suffice. You will have to clean the agretti, deprive them of the hard stem and try the many ways in which this vegetable can be prepared. you can boil them, steam them, sauté in a pan and then combine them with the many dishes of Italian cuisine with which they marry beautifully.
The dishes with agretti
Let's now discover some of the recipes to which the agretti give taste and the typical sour taste.
Let's start with i first dishes: Agretti accompany pasta perfectly. You can do it with the ricotta cheese and dried tomatoes, with olives and smoked pancetta, with Cherry tomatoes and capers, with fresh burrata, anchovies and breadcrumbs. All dishes are quick to prepare and very simple. Try the garganelli with agretti, ginger and lamb ragù or the turmeric rice with monk's beard and lemon peel.
Agretti are also perfect for seasoning rustic cakes. After preparing your pasta puff pastry or crust all you have to do is add the agretti to what you have at home to make perfect rustic cakes for the aperitif, for a second or for a quick and tasty lunch. Some idea? Agretti with ricotta cheese and parmesan, spreadable cheese and speck, first salt and fresh sausage, smoked provola and bacon. The perfect pairing, as you may have noticed, is that of the agretti with a cheese not too salty (as in the case of these tortine with stracchino and agretti) and a salami with a strong flavor. You can also replace the salami with the salmon, the result will be more delicate but very tasty.
The agretti blend perfectly even with many main courses. Starting from omelettes (also combining only parmesan or pecorino cheese for the preparation) to get the meat main courses, with chicken and artichokes for example, and fish, with the sea snails and the bottarga or with the perch. If you have little time you can think about preparing them in a pie with potatoes and snow peas, simple to make and very tasty
Agretti can also be consumed uncooked or just boiled, remember in this case to dress them with oil and lemon and not to keep them in the fridge for too long, they last only a few days.
