Agretti
Published on 25 March 2026
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Agretti, also known as monk’s beard, are a spring vegetable with a slightly sour and bitter flavour. The original describes them as rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals. They make an excellent side dish and are versatile in pasta, risotto, omelettes and savoury tarts. Easy to cook, they were a real discovery for me as I had never prepared them before: delicious! They can be eaten raw, boiled, steamed or cooked in a frying pan with garlic and chilli, as I did.
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Method
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Place the agretti on a chopping board and cut off the hard, red, earthy lower ends.
Wash very thoroughly, changing the water several times. You can add a tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda and rinse until the water is clean.
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the agretti and cook for 5 minutes from when it returns to the boil.
I drain them; if you like, transfer them to iced water to keep their bright colour. I put some oil in a frying pan with a garlic clove and chilli and let the garlic turn golden.
I add the agretti and a little salt, then cook for 15 minutes, adding a splash of water if necessary.
I simply served them as a side dish with eggs cooked in butter: delicious!
Original source: https://incucinaconlilly.com/2026/03/25/agretti/