Broccoli Spigariello

Broccoli Spigariello is an Italian leafy green that tastes a lot like broccoli. But unlike broccoli, you eat the leaves instead of the flowers. The plant grows just like kale, but produces small broccoli-like florets late in the season. Every part of the plant is edible and the new growth is tender enough to eat raw right off the plant.

While often likened to rapini in that it does not make a central broccoli “head”, it is much less pungent with a bigger and more heavily branching frame. The narrow, very dark green leaves, develop a wonderful wavy, curvy, twisting form as the plant matures, making for a striking bunch at the market and beautiful addition to braises, sautés,  pizzas, and soups.

The hearty flavour is something of a cross between broccoli leaves and Tuscan kale and is perfect for rustic Italian cuisine. Somewhat unusual in the Brassica family, it has white flowers, suggesting that it originally came to southern Italy from Asia as a descendant of Chinese broccoli.

It’s very easy to grow. If you don’t give in to temptation and eat it prematurely, each seedling will grow into a big, sturdy plant. I think of them as broccoli trees. You harvest the leaves as you need them, leaving the plant intact to generate more leaves. Eventually, it produces the tiny white flowers that the bees love.

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