Agretti in the Kitchen Agretti are sold fresh and begin to appear at produce stands around March, as they are typically a spring vegetable. They should be chosen based on their color, which is a bright green, while the part near the roots fades to white and then to red. The stem is plump, full of water, slender, and slightly flattened; only the youngest plants are used in cooking. Even when stored in the refrigerator, they spoil easily, so they should be consumed within a few days. They must be washed very carefully, as they tend to retain soil, and the part near the roots—where the green color fades—should be cut off. They can be boiled—depending on personal taste and size—for fifteen minutes or longer, but steaming is the best method of cooking, as it best preserves their nutritional value. Agretti, with their characteristic slightly bitter flavor, can be served as a side dish in a salad, simply dressed with extra virgin olive oil, to which lemon can be added; they’re also perfect as ingredients in heartier salads, with tomatoes, or paired with anchovies and hard-boiled eggs. Agretti can also make an excellent sauce for short-cut pasta, combined with other vegetables or a bit of cheese to bind everything together; simply boil them first and then sauté them in a pan with the other chosen ingredients. Here we see them served as a side dish with suckling pig, a recipe taken from the menu of the Al Callianino restaurant (Via Adige 46, Montecchia di Crosara – 045 617 5906). We recommend pairing this dish with a Soave Classico Bine Longhe.