How to cook agretti? Below are the quickest and easiest recipes, such as pan or Roman-style cooking. Here are my delicious ideas:
– raw in pesto
– cooked with pasta
Agretti are a spring vegetable, with thin, full, thread-like stems and leaves. The texture is tender yet fleshy, resembling chives in appearance. They have a taste similar to green beans, slightly earthy, briny, and pleasantly tart (acidic) as their name suggests. They are widespread in Veneto, Lazio, and coastal areas of the Mediterranean, a wild, spontaneous herb. Discover their easy cultivation.
What are the benefits of agretti?
Nutritionist Mezzacapo talks about their properties: “Agretti are rich in fiber, therefore, they regulate lipid absorption, moderate the glycemic index, and have a satiating effect. They also contain a high amount of water (92.3g/100g), helping our body stay hydrated while also purifying it by stimulating diuresis. They are rich in vitamins, particularly A, C, and some B vitamins. They are also not lacking in minerals, including potassium, magnesium, iron, but especially calcium. The caloric profile of these vegetables is very low, with only 17 kcal per 100 grams.“
SEASON of #agretti: from March to June, in some years even until July.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 9 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Spring
- Energy 33.00 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 3.30 (g) of which sugars 3.30 (g)
- Proteins 2.70 (g)
- Fat 0.30 (g) of which saturated 0.00 (g)of which unsaturated 0.00 (g)
- Fibers 3.45 (g)
- Sodium 0.00 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 145 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Boiled Agretti
- 10.6 oz agretti
How much does a bunch of agretti weigh? From 10.6 oz to 17.6 oz.
Tools
- 1 Pressure Cooker
Boiled Agretti
How to clean monk’s beard?
Remove the spoiled green parts (rotten or dry), then decisively break away their hard, soil-covered root. Optionally, also the more stubborn parts of the stems.
Here’s the cleaning video.
Once cleaned, wash them well to remove any soil residue.
What is the cooking time for boiled agretti?
– steam in the pressure cooker for 1 minute,
– steam for a maximum of 3 minutes
– pan in a little boiling salted water for 2 – 3 minutes.
Overcooked, they become mushy and tasteless.
How to keep their beautiful bright color?
Once cooked, drain and immediately pour into cold water (maybe with ice cubes) for a few minutes.
– with lemon (or orange) juice
– with extra virgin olive oil
– with dressing
– with soy sauce
Salt only if necessary.
Pan Recipes
Agretti sautéed in pan
Boil as above, but for half the time, then quickly flavor in a pan with oil, garlic, and chili.
Tasty in pan
Boil and cook al dente, sauté in a pan with butter and parmesan, and if desired make sweet and sour by adding raisins and pine nuts.
Agretti in pan without boiling
Place whole (or chopped) in a pan with a little water or broth and cook them until slightly tender, flavor them with oil, salt, and add preferred aromatic herbs. For a crunchier taste, sprinkle with sesame seeds or breadcrumbs.
Agretti with onion
In a pan, brown some onion and add the agretti, cooking them by adding water if necessary.
Vegan Recipes
In mixed salad: raw or cooked
Add:
– in soups or stews
– in tomato sauce
Pancakes
Baked pasta
Risotto
Tagliatelle with agretti and carrots
Savory pie
Vegetarian Recipes
– frittata
– nests
– sauce with monk’s beard cooked with ricotta, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives
– creamy sauce: blend boiled agretti with mozzarella (or other soft cheese) and a little extra virgin olive oil
– dress pasta with agretti, gorgonzola, and a sprinkling of chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pistachios…)
Omnivore Recipes
– sautéed in a pan with onion and bacon (or speck, ham)
– sauce with monk’s beard sautéed in a pan with anchovy paste (or anchovy fillets)
STORAGE of agretti
How long do cooked agretti last?
Cooked monk’s beard keeps (without seasoning) for up to 3 days in the fridge, covered with food wrap or in a sealed container. Or they can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months (note that if frozen, they tend to lose fragrance and flavor).
How to store raw monk’s beard?
Keep in the fridge until use, which is recommended as soon as possible.
Tips for buying agretti
Choose young, firm sprouts with a nice even color. The root should be hard, white, and reddish. For culinary use, young, tender sprouts that have not exceeded 8 inches in height are harvested. Over time, the leaves harden and are no longer pleasant.
Other names are: barbabuc, monk’s beard, friar’s beard, priest’s beard, cappuccino’s beard, liscari, lischi, lishi, riscolo, roscano, salsola soda, monk’s mustard.
