A perfect vegetarian Maremma recipe for Easter Monday picnic: simple, tasty and rich in seasonal vegetables
Happy Easter!!! But thinking that tomorrow is the day of the escape and the joyful relationship with nature – in the end Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord, but also of the new life, of the rise of creative sap – it occurs to draw from tradition to prepare a recipe that is in the popular Maremma tradition for time immemorial and that will make the picnic or Easter Monday very natural. In Lazio they call it Vignarola, but having simplified the preparation we renamed it knowing that this pan of the garden can be a side dish, the seasoning for the pasta, a second just accompanied by bruschetta and cheese. It is very suitable for friends who choose the vegetarian and tasty diet and is a triumph of vegetables. So in the kitchen.
Ingredients –
4 artichokes (better the Morelli with thorns)
Two onions of generous size
400 gr of peas to peel
400 gr of beans always to peel
a bunch of asparagus (about 400 gr)
A bouquet of spontaneous herbs (thyme, marjoram, basil)
An untreated lemon (optional)
100 gr of extra virgin olive oil
A glass of white wine
a chilli pepper
salt to taste.
Preparation – Clean the artichokes well, pass them with the lemon that you cut in half or squeeze the lemon and with the acidic juice the water where you will immerse the artichokes as you clean them, peel the peas and the beans, make a chopped fine of the aromatic herbs, cut into not too thin slices the onions. Heat the olive extra virgin olive in a large pan, add the chilli pepper, stew the onions then add the artichokes that you have sliced thinly, let it heat, then add the beans, the asparagus cut into chunks and finally the peas, blend with the wine by evaporating all the alcohol on a high flame. Season with salt and evaporate the wine, continue cooking over moderate flame. If needed, add a little hot water. When the artichokes have become soft, turn off the fire, add the aromatic herbs and mix well. If needed, season again with a pinch of salt and a possible round of cold extra virgin olive oil.
How to entertain children – Give them the task of peeling peas and fava beans
Combination – We have chosen an Abruzzo pecorino, Trebbiano is also fine. Alternatively, a Grechetto dei Colli Martani or a Fiano Minutolo.
