Today I want to talk to you about a truly incredible recipe, not only because it can be considered a recycling dish within the realm of frugal cooking, using only the scraps of fresh spring onions which are the main star, but despite this, it is also very economical and unimaginably delicious! For some time, I have wanted to experiment with some recipes using not just the bulbs but also the leaves of spring onions, which are also very rich in vitamins! In fact, often the green parts are unfortunately thrown into the trash or even cut off during the sale. Have you ever been asked by your trusted greengrocer if you wanted the final part of the spring onions or not!? I always have! And every time, I have consistently and warmly replied that those scraps were more valuable than all the rest and that I would like to use them in cooking, even if I had no idea how! After finally experimenting with this tart made from spring onion leaves and ricotta, I can undoubtedly say that intelligent and creative recycling can be realized and is indeed a great experience that we should all learn to embrace! Granted, I warn you, it’s not always easy to use these scraps in every preparation you wish because often you end up with something quite mediocre, resulting in abandoning the idea of preparing a recovery dish, but not in this case! Trust me, this recipe is truly succulent, and you will impress your guests! It will be perfect as an appetizer cut into squares or as a vegetarian-style main course! Enjoyed warm or even cold, you can take it with you as a packed lunch for the office or even on a day trip! You’ll lick your lips!
CURIOSITY: Did you know that fresh spring onions, along with garlic and onions, have been used for a long time in the past as an ingredient in folk medicine? They would actually have a antibiotic and antibacterial action, so used not only as food, but also for extracts and syrups, such as red onion and honey syrup. The fluid derived from this homemade and inexpensive syrup can enhance immune system responses and eliminate pathogens more quickly*.
If recycling recipes are your kitchen mood, then you absolutely must try these other proposals of frugal and zero-waste cooking:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 2-3 people
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
Ingredients for a 8×10 inch baking dish:
- 2 bunches fresh spring onions (only the green leaves)
- 1 fresh spring onion
- 350 g sheep ricotta
- 50 g fresh Sicilian peppered cheese (or another choice of string cheese)
- 1 egg
- 40 g grated Grana Padano cheese
- 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs (+ as needed)
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- as needed garlic powder
- as needed aromatic herbs (mint, parsley, rosemary)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (+ as needed for brushing)
- as needed salt
- as needed pepper
Tools:
⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog only helps support me and my work, without costing you anything extra!
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pan
- 1 Frying pan
- 1 Ladle
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Hand whisk
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Baking dish
Steps:
Start by removing all the toughest parts and those farthest from the bulb of the spring onion stems.
Wash the remaining leaves thoroughly in cold water to remove any soil residue and cut them very thinly to loosen the fibers and make them more digestible.
Wash the spring onion, remove the root hair at the end, and cut it into rings.
Blanch the chopped spring onion leaves in salted boiling water for 5 minutes.
Brown the fresh spring onion in a pan with 2 tablespoons of oil for 1 minute.
Add the drained leaves and stew for 10 minutes, adding a ladle of cooking water only if necessary. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
In a large bowl, use a hand whisk to mix the well-drained ricotta with the egg, then season with salt and pepper.
You should obtain a fairly homogeneous cream.
Add the cooled leaves, nutmeg, chopped aromatic herbs, and garlic powder.
Mix well with a spatula.
Transfer the mixture into a previously oiled and breadcrumb-dusted baking dish. Add the fresh peppered cheese slices.
Sprinkle with grated Grana Padano, 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs, and a drizzle of oil.
Place in a preheated oven at 375°F for 30 minutes or until golden.
Turn off the oven and let it cool before cutting into portions.
And voila…your spring onion stem and ricotta tart is ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di FeFè!
Storage
👉 You can store the spring onion stem and ricotta tart in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1-2 days.
*Onion Honey
To make it, you need just 2 ingredients:
◼ 1 red onion (more suitable for its sweetness)
◼ 3 tablespoons of honey (I use balsamic honey)
Procedure: Clean a onion, cut it into cubes and place it in a sterilized and dry glass jar. Once done, simply add the honey of good quality, mix, and let it rest for 12 hours. After this time, the honey will have extracted the beneficial principles of the onion, and liquid will have formed in the jar. Filter the honey using a strainer and transfer the obtained syrup into a bottle to store in the refrigerator for a month. In case of cough and sore throat, onion honey can be taken several times a day at the dose of a tablespoon to relieve symptoms and heal faster.
