Agretti salad is just one of the many ways to cook the sprouts of this plant. It’s an entirely vegetarian recipe that’s very easy, simple, and light, prepared with very few ingredients, and served as a side dish either hot or cold, accompanying meat, fish, cheese dishes, etc. Agretti, which are part of the Mediterranean diet, change names depending on the region; they are also known as “monk’s beard,” “liscari,” “roscani,” “ruscoli,” etc…
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs agretti
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- to taste fine salt
- to taste lemon juice and zest (or balsamic vinegar)
Steps
Clean the agretti, removing any inedible parts. Wash them and drain them well.
Bring water to a boil in a large pot.
When the water is about to boil, add a pinch of coarse salt, wait for it to come to a boil, and plunge the agretti in.
Cover the pot and wait for the water to resume boiling. From that moment, let them blanch for exactly 5 minutes if you want them to stay firm and crunchy, or 7 minutes if you prefer them softer.
To serve them as a cold side dish
– While the agretti are cooking, pour some cold water with a pinch of fine salt into a large bowl.
– After the 5 minutes (or 7), immediately drain the agretti and immerse them in the bowl with cold water to stop the cooking, stir a little and then drain them perfectly.
– Transfer them to a bowl and season them with a finely chopped garlic clove, grated lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, and another pinch of fine salt if necessary.
Mix all the ingredients very well and wait for them to cool completely (add the lemon juice or vinegar only just before serving).
If you prefer to serve them as a warm side dish, it will not be necessary to dip them in cold water after cooking.
After draining them perfectly from the cooking water, season them immediately with oil, chopped garlic, and very finely chopped lemon zest (it’s better not to add lemon juice or vinegar to hot dishes, but it’s a matter of taste), mix, and serve.
Extra idea. For a richer agretti salad while still keeping it vegetarian, you can add blanched carrot pieces for just two minutes, celery, dried (or fresh) tomatoes, or pickles, depending on taste and needs.
Bon appetit
