Fried Lampascioni are a delicious side dish, very simple to prepare, but they will win you over with their delicate and slightly bitter flavor. If you want them to lose some of their bitter taste, once cleaned, soak them in water for a few hours or even overnight.

The lampascione is a bulb typical of the Mediterranean regions, mainly found in Puglia and Basilicata, it is a type of wild scallion that grows spontaneously in the fields. I love Lampascioni, I got to know them thanks to my father-in-law from the province of Matera, who used to pick them in the fields and bring us bags full, much to the delight of my mother-in-law, who had to clean and cook them for everyone, both fried and in meatballs.

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Cheap
Rest time: 4 Hours
Preparation time: 15 Minutes
Portions: 6 People
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian Regional
Region: Basilicata

Ingredients

1.1 lbs lampascioni (fresh)
1 qt vegetable oil
to taste fine salt

Preparation

Thoroughly clean the lampascioni from dirt, remove the outer part if it is dry or damaged, then put them in cold water for a few hours or even overnight. It’s better if you change the water every 3/4 hours, this will help remove some of the bitter taste that characterizes these bulbs. You can skip this step if you enjoy their naturally bitter taste.
Remove the lampascioni from the water, drain them, dry them and make a cross cut that should reach halfway through the bulb.
In a pan with plenty of hot oil, add the lampascioni a few at a time, turning them frequently. They will cook by opening up like a rose and will be crispy on the outside.
Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon, place them on a plate lined with paper towels, and salt them.
And now you can enjoy them!