Agretti

Agretti is one of the lesser known leaves in our summer salad packs, and increasingly recognised as rather a delicacy, so we make it available separately too. Named Barba di Frate (literally ‘Friar's Beard’) in Italy, its fleshy, needle-like leaves grow in tangles that look like they belong on the ocean floor. Indeed, its salty, mineral tang means it serves a two-in-one function in our salad mix, seasoning the bag for you! It also makes it comparable to its relatives samphire, and the Japanese Okahijiki, but perhaps crossed with spinach.
Like samphire it can be steamed or lightly sautéed then dressed with lemon and oil, to accompany meals inspired by the waves, whether shellfish or pasta with ‘sea spaghetti’ mixed in.  

Agretti is one of a group of saltworts traditionally used as a source of the alkali soda ash needed for glassmaking. Once a synthetic alternative was discovered it seems to have been almost entirely forgotten, surviving as the foodstuff of peasants, before cookery programmes and restaurant chefs brought it to popular attention. Getting hold of seeds can be a competitive business, as they’re often rationed, and that’s only half the trouble as they have a very low germination rate (about forty percent!), and can’t be stored either. We think it’s worth the bother though and as you know, love being able to offer you something you won’t find on the homogeneous shelves of your closest chain store. One of the perks of supporting your local growers!