The friarielli, a variety of broccoli typical of the Campania region with a slightly bitter aftertaste, have always been my favorite side dish.
During the period from November to March, every time I return to Naples, I stock up on them, and as soon as I get back home to Rome, the first thing I do is prepare a nice pan of them with plenty of oil, garlic, and chili pepper. The remaining part I blanch quickly in boiling water and once cooled, I freeze it to reuse it later, maybe as a filling for some savory pie.
Cooking them is very easy, just arm yourself with a bit of patience in cleaning them, or do like me and buy them already cleaned from your trusted farmer.
Now take a minute to read the recipe and then let’s cook and let’s eat!!
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- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Winter
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs friarielli
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 fresh chili peppers
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Colander
- 1 Pan
Steps
To prepare the friarielli in a pan, first, clean them by pulling off the most tender leaves and flower heads from the stem, collecting them in a large bowl.
Wash the friarielli repeatedly under running water, then place them in a colander to drain the excess water.
Meanwhile, in a pan, sauté in a generous layer of oil, two cloves of garlic, and a fresh chili pepper chopped into pieces. When the garlic begins to sizzle, move the pan off the heat and start adding a handful of friarielli, then put the pan back on the heat and add more friarielli as the previous ones wilt.
Add salt and let them cook without a lid, stirring them frequently for about 20 minutes or until they are tender and the water released in the pan has completely evaporated.
Serve the friarielli still hot as a side dish with any main course and pair them with plenty of fresh or toasted bread 😉.
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