Erbe di Campo Ripassate

Name: Erbe di Campo Ripassate
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Marchigiana
Ingredients: 800 g mixed wild greens; 15 g coarse sea salt; 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 3 cloves Garlic; 1 piece dried red chilli; 3 g Fine sea salt

Blanched mixed field greens sautéed in olive oil with garlic and chilli, known in Marchigiano dialect as erbe strascinate or fogliette ripassate.

🇮🇹Italy· Marche

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 35 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 165 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 6 gathered

Servings

800 g mixed wild greens — such as wild chicory, dandelion, borage, and sow thistle, trimmed and washed thoroughly
15 g coarse sea salt — for boiling water
60 ml Extra virgin olive oil — preferably Marchigiano robust olive oil
3 cloves Garlic — peeled and lightly crushed
1 piece dried red chilli — peperoncino, crumbled
3 g Fine sea salt — to taste

Equipment

•Large stockpot
•Colander
•Wide frying pan
•Chef's knife
•Cutting board

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 165 kcal
fat: 14 g
carbs: 7 g
fibre: 5 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 165 kcal

Instructions

1
Wash the greens thoroughly in several changes of cold water to remove all soil and grit.
2
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the coarse sea salt.
3
Plunge the cleaned greens into the boiling water and press them down until fully submerged.
4
Boil uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes until the thickest stems are tender when pierced.
5
Drain the cooked greens into a colander and rinse briefly with cold water to halt cooking.
6
Squeeze the greens firmly with your hands in batches to expel as much water as possible.
7
Roughly chop the squeezed greens across the grain on a board into bite-sized clumps.
8
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat.
9
Add the crushed garlic and crumbled chilli, sizzling gently for 2 minutes until fragrant and pale gold.
10
Add the chopped greens, separating the clumps with a wooden spoon so they coat in oil.
11
Sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until the greens sizzle, evaporate excess moisture, and turn glossy.
12
Season with fine sea salt, toss well, and transfer immediately to a warm serving dish.

Chef's tips

Squeezing every drop of water from the boiled greens is critical so they fry in the oil rather than steam. A mixture of bitter greens (like dandelion or chicory) and sweet greens (like chard or borage) gives the most authentic, balanced Marchigiano flavour profile. When gathering wild greens, never forage near roads or sprayed orchards, and discard any plant whose botanical identity is in doubt.

Ingredient substitutions

mixed wild greens → a mix of store-bought curly endive, Swiss chard, and dandelion greens
dried red chilli → a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or cracked black peppercorns

Storage

Store leftover greens in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat in a hot skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil over medium heat until heated through and sizzling.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Failing to squeeze out the water properly, which makes the finished dish soggy instead of glossy and fried.
•Burning the garlic over high heat, creating an unpleasantly bitter aftertaste that ruins the greens.
•Under-boiling tough wild stems before frying, leaving them stringy and hard to chew.

Serving suggestions

Serve warm alongside grilled Marchigiano pork sausages or roasted meats.Pile over thick slices of toasted rustic country loaf drizzled with raw olive oil.Stuff into warm crescia sfogliata di Urbino flatbread with fresh pecorino.