Wild garlic: it's not garlic and it doesn't rust, what is it?

L&' wild garlic (Allium ursinum) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Alliaceae family, similar to &' common garlic (Allium sativum) but with distinct characteristics and flavor. It is also known by the name of wild garlic, flounder garlic or forest garlic.

But where does the name wild garlic come from?

The anthology offers us two versions. It could derive from the fact that the plant is often consumed by bears during their awakening phase from winter lethargy or it could derive from the Latin word 'ursus', which means bear, and which could refer to &' robust and strong aspect of the plant.

Place of origin and form of wild garlic

L&' wild garlic is a plant native to &' Europe and &' Western Asia and grows spontaneously in woods, meadows and wetlands. It is harvested between March and May, when the leaves are tender and aromatic.
The leaves of &' wild garlic are long and narrow, deep green in color and have a delicate but penetrating aroma, similar to &' garlic but less intense. The flowers are white, star-shaped and appear in globular inflorescences.

Let's move on to the kitchen!

In the kitchen, l&' wild garlic is used mainly for its delicate and aromatic flavor, reminiscent of that of &' garlic but with a sweeter aftertaste. The leaves can be eaten fresh in salads, soups and egg-based dishes, while the bulbs can be chopped and used as l&' common garlic, to flavor various dishes such as sauces, sauces, stews and roasts.
In addition, l&' wild garlic is often used to prepare wild pesto, a variant of Genoese pesto in which basil is replaced with wild garlic leaves.

From not knowing it to becoming one of the favorite ingredients, the step is short!

At Spaghetti & Mandolino, we were unaware of its existence until a couple of years ago, then we first discovered pesto, which has become the must of many appetizers, and then also cheese aged in wild garlic leaves, a delicate cheese with an aftertaste that good people would define as “interesting”!