How to cook agretti? Below are the quickest and easiest recipes, such as pan-cooking or the Roman style.
Agretti are a spring vegetable, with thin, filamentous stems and leaves; the texture is tender yet fleshy, and they look somewhat like chives. The flavor is similar to green beans, slightly earthy, briny and pleasantly sharp (acidic) as the name suggests. Widely found in Veneto, Lazio and coastal areas of the Mediterranean, it is a wild spontaneous herb—discover how easy its cultivation is.
What are agretti good for?
Nutritionist Mezzacapo tells us about their properties: “Agretti are rich in fiber, which helps regulate lipid absorption, moderate the glycemic index and have a satiating effect. They also contain a high amount of water (92.3 g/100 g), helping our bodies stay hydrated while promoting detoxification by stimulating diuresis. They are rich in vitamins, particularly A, C and some B-group vitamins. They also contain minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron and 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.
RECIPES
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 9 Minutes
- Cooking time: 1 Minute
- Portions: 2People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Wellness
- 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 cups agretti
How much does a bunch of agretti weigh? From about 10.6 oz (300 g) to about 17.6 oz (500 g).
Tools
- 1 Pressure cooker
Boiled agretti
How to clean ‘barba del frate’ (agretti)?
Remove damaged green parts (rotten or dry), then decisively snap off the tough, dirt-covered root. Also remove any particularly fibrous stem parts.
Here is the video on how to clean them.
Once trimmed, wash them thoroughly to remove any remaining soil.
What is the cooking time for boiled agretti?
– in a pressure cooker steamed for 1 minute,
– steamed for a maximum of 3 minutes
– in a pan in a little boiling salted water for 2–3 minutes.
If overcooked they become limp and tasteless.
How to keep their bright color?
Once cooked, drain and immediately plunge into cold water (you can add ice cubes) for a few minutes.
– with lemon juice (or orange)
– with extra virgin olive oil
– with a dressing
– with soy sauce
Salt only if necessary.
Pan recipes
Pan-seared agretti
Boil as above, but for half the time, then quickly flavor in a pan with oil, garlic and chili pepper.
Tasty in a pan
Boil and cook al dente, then toss in a pan with butter and Parmesan and, if desired, add sweetness and texture with raisins and pine nuts.
Agretti in a pan without boiling
Place whole (or in pieces) in a pan with a little water or broth and cook until slightly tender, season with oil, salt and your favorite herbs. For a crunchier bite, sprinkle with sesame seeds or breadcrumbs.
Agretti with onion
In a pan, soften onion and add the agretti, finishing the cooking by adding water as needed.
Vegan recipes
– In mixed salads: raw or cooked
– Gratinated agretti: place in a baking dish, cover with a light béchamel and breadcrumbs, then gratinate
– Agretti, avocado and grapefruit salad: raw or lightly blanched agretti with diced avocado, grapefruit segments, oil and sesame seeds
– Savory pancakes with agretti
– Baked pasta with agretti
– Risotto with agretti
– Tagliatelle with agretti and carrots
Vegetarian recipes
– Agretti omelette: mix sautéed agretti with eggs and Parmesan, then cook in a pan or in the oven
– Scrambled eggs with agretti: add sautéed agretti to eggs just before the end of cooking
– Nido of swallows
– Creamy sauce: blend boiled agretti with mozzarella (or another soft cheese) and a little extra virgin olive oil
Pairings with cheeses
– Agretti and fresh goat cheese: sauté agretti and serve on a slice of toasted bread spread with goat cheese
– Agretti and feta salad: raw or lightly blanched agretti dressed with oil, lemon and cubes of feta or goat cheese
– Pasta with agretti and salted ricotta: sauté agretti with garlic and oil, toss with pasta and add shavings of ricotta salata or Pecorino
– Dress pasta with agretti, gorgonzola and a sprinkle of chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pistachios…)
With fish and seafood
– Agretti and shrimp: sauté both in a pan with garlic, oil and a splash of white wine.
– Sea bass or gilt-head bream on a bed of agretti: roast the fish and serve over agretti sautéed with lemon and capers
– Sauce with ‘barba del frate’ sautéed in a pan with anchovy paste (or anchovy fillets)
Recipes for omnivores
– Sautéed in a pan with onion and bacon (or speck, ham)
– Omelette with agretti and diced cooked ham
– Savory pie with agretti, ricotta and pieces of speck
– Lasagna with agretti, meat ragù and béchamel
STORAGE of agretti
How long do cooked agretti last?
Al dente cooked agretti keep (without dressing) for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap or stored in a sealed container. They can also be frozen for up to 6 months (note that frozen agretti tend to lose fragrance and flavor).
How to store raw agretti?
Keep in the refrigerator until ready to use; it’s best to use them as soon as possible.
Tips for buying agretti
Choose young, firm shoots with an even, attractive color. The root should be hard, white with a reddish tint. For culinary use, harvest the young tender shoots that have not exceeded 7 7/8 inches (20 cm) in height. Their leaves harden over time and become less pleasant.
Other names include: barbabuc, barba del Negus, barba dei frati, barba del frate, barba del prete, barba di cappuccino, liscari, lischi, lishi, riscolo, roscano, salsola soda, monk’s mustard.
