Pasta with ‘barba di frate’ – an Italian vegetable also called ‘agretti’ and related to other vegetables like radicchio and endive – is a first course that is not only easy to make, but just as delicious and light to eat! A delicately tasty recipe to add to your weekly dinner menu.
The name of this dish comes from the main ingredient used: barba di frate (translating to ‘monk’s beard’ in English) – a precious vegetable rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals with many ideas for cooking it!
The Recipe: Pasta with Monk's Beard and Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
12 oz pasta
12 oz barba di frate / agretti
1 lb 6 oz tomato purée
1 clove of garlic
Basil
Fresh red chili pepper (optional)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
Method:
First clean the barba di frate well and boil it for 4-5 minutes in salted water. Drain the vegetables well and sauté in a pan with a clove of garlic, extra-virgin olive oil and a teaspoon of red chili pepper. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the tomato purée and season with salt. Continue cooking.
In the meantime, cook the macaroni pasta in a separate pot. Drain al dente and add them to the sauce with the barba di frate.
Then stir the pasta in the pan with the sauce over high heat. After cooking for a few minutes more, season with basil.