What are agretti and how to best cook them

All about the agretti, the sour herbs that are excellent for health, rich in vitamins and mineral salts, to be eaten both cooked and raw for the well-being of the whole organism.

Agretti are vegetables known by different names. Based on the regions where they are grown, it is possible to find them with the name of beard of the friar , mustard of the monks, liscari or roscani. They appear as a bunch of elongated leaves, similar to chives; the color is a very intense green and the base is reddish. The taste is not like that of chives, but is distinguished by its being sour – a characteristic which seems to have given them their name.

Agretti are a food rich in vitamins and mineral salts able to contribute to the general well-being of the organism. In particular, they are highly appreciated in the Mediterranean diet as they are rich in nutrients. In fact, they boast a significant amount of vitamins A and B. They are also rich in mineral salts such as potassium, magnesium and iron as well as a good amount of fiber .

Finally, another of the reasons why agretti are friends with health is that they are very rich in water ; they are therefore good for circulation and help fight cellulite. In the kitchen they are used a lot both to prepare side dishes, first and second courses and unique dishes: let's see how to clean them and how to cook them !

• How to clean them
• How to cook them
• Recipes
• Property
• Contraindications

How to clean the agretti and how to store them

Cleaning the friar's beard is very simple .

1. First of all, it is good to have a cutting board and a sharp knife.
2. Remove the lower part of the stem, that of the rootlets and check that there are no excessively hard or bruised parts.
3. Once this is done they will have to be cleaned: take a large enough bowl and put the agretti inside.
4. Open the tap and let the water run for some time.
5. In the meantime, gently massage everything with your hands in such a way as to move them and to let all the excess earth descend to the bottom.
6. At this point, take a few tablespoons of baking soda and pour it inside. Leave it on for ten minutes and rinse it all off.
7. The agretti will be ready to be cooked to your liking!

Being the agretti a fresh vegetable , it is good to buy them and consume them immediately. If not the same day, then the next day at the latest. The best way to keep them raw is to place them in a plastic food bag and close them so as not to expose them too much to the air.

How to cook agretti?

Agretti are a very versatile ingredient in the kitchen. In fact, they are eaten both raw in salads or as a side dish or they can be cooked in the most varied ways, as a special ingredient in first courses or second courses.

To be able to eat them, it will be sufficient to boil them for 5 minutes in boiling salted water and then sauté them in a pan : they are also delicious natural and do not need any special precautions.

If you like them raw , try putting them in salads with potatoes and shrimp. Otherwise, they are excellent if pan-fried with a drizzle of oil and garlic. Also excellent to mix with other vegetables or legumes such as carrots, green beans, beans or artichokes.

Agretti: delicious recipes and savory dishes

To cook them, all you have to do is dip them in a pot of salted water for about 5 minutes. Then, just sauté them in the pan for another 10 minutes.

One of the most popular dishes are thelemon agretti : after blanching, place them in a pan with half a lemon juice for 10/15 minutes. And the dish is already ready !

The omelette with agretti is a slightly unusual idea but one that will pleasantly surprise you. Get the cleaned and washed agretti, then boil them in lightly salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Once sautéed, let them cool; take 5 eggs and beat them in a large bowl, adding ricotta and parmesan to taste. Incorporate also the agretti, and pepper and salt. Place in a preheated oven at 200°C for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Maybe it's a slightly unusual idea, but how about making a risotto with agretti : they will be added to the pan during the last step, the creaming; we advise you to combine them with a risotto with saffron.

Agretti: properties and benefits

Agretti are excellent vegetables, not only because they are low-calorie (every 100 g contain just 17 kcal ), they are rich in water (92% of the total) and have a good amount of carbohydrates and fibres , necessary to ensure proper functioning of the body. intestine and a good purification of the liver.

This characteristic in particular makes them excellent allies for the intestine : if eaten regularly, like many other vegetables, they manage to promote natural intestinal regularity. Therefore, they help to have a more deflated abdomen and to avoid the accumulation of air in the stomach.

Almost the whole organism is able to benefit from the positive effects of the agretti. They are, in fact, rich in vitamins and mineral salts which are essential for the correct functioning of the organism. There is, in fact, a good presence of vitamins A, C and vitamins of group B. Mineral salts, however, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium contribute to having greater energy and stronger bones.

Finally, thanks to the abundance of water, they allow for correct drainage of liquids and help to eliminate excess waste.

The contraindications of the agretti

Agretti have no particular contraindications, as they are mainly composed of water, protein and fibre: for 100 grams of product there are only 5.6 grams of carbohydrates and only 5.6 grams of sugars. From a nutritional point of view, they are perfect both for those who want to lose weight and for those who want to maintain a healthy weight .

However, it is good not to exceed the portions, otherwise you risk annoying intestinal pains .