‘Quando al mercato arrivano gli agretti, significa che ormai è primavera’
Last week I discovered a new vegetable called ‘agretti’. The scientific name is ‘salsola soda’, but more common used is monk’s beard (barba di frate). Salsola soda has an historical importance, because it was used – once burnt to ashes - to produce sodium carbonate. Currently, this plant is only used in the kitchen. I discovered that monk's beard is very popular in the Italian cuisine. Once cooked the taste is quite similar to spinach and samphire. It looks like chive as it has long, chive-like foliage.
During springtime you can find agretti in the fresh food department of the supermarket and street markets. Only the green leaves can be eaten. The vegetable is very nutritious and rich of vitamin A, B, C, E, calcium, magnesium, iron and fibers. That’s the reason why the vegetable is used a lot in the Mediterranean diets. Personally I like monk's beard very much and in meantime I experimented already with the ‘agretti’ in the kitchen.
How to prepare?
After removing the root with a knife and cleaning the leaves very carefully with water (rinse a lot to remove the sand), it can be cooked or steamed for 5-10 minutes. Agretti can also be eaten fresh but more commonly the green part can be cooked or steamed and seasoned with lemon, salt and oil. Agretti can be combined perfectly as a side dish with meat and fish.
It is also very delicious when it is sautéed with garlic and olive oil, sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
An other delicious combination is spaghetti vongole with agretti.
For 2 persons: 750 gr. Vongole (small clams), 2 shallots, 2 garlic cloves, ½ red chilly pepper, 1 spoon capers , 1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, olive oil, ¼ glass of white wine, 150 gr. agretti, spaghetti, sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic, chilli pepper and shallots, and fry for 1 minute, or until lightly golden. Add the clams and shake them in the pan. After 30 seconds add the wine and the agretti and put the lid on. Keep shaking the pan until all clams are open (3 to 4 minutes). Add the capers and the parsley. Drag the pasta straight into the pan of clams. Toss them together and then simmer for two minutes in all the delicious juices. Taste and adjust the seasoning with black pepper and sea salt (if needed)!
Delicious!!!