Rucola is an annual plant rich in vitamin C and iron growing from 20 to 100 centimeters (0.56 to 3.3 inches) tall. The leaves are deeply lobed, with four to ten small lateral lobes and it is generally used as a leaf vegetable in salads, but also in pasta sauces, either cooked or raw.
Rucola, as it is generally known in Italy, is also known as rocket ( in England), arugula (in the US). It has a rich, peppery taste, and is exceptionally strongly flavored for a leafy green.
Though it has long been extremely popular with Italians for its bitterish, aromatic taste, American palates often find its flavor too strong, and only in relatively recent times can it be found in specialty produce markets and in some supermarkets.
I brought seeds from Italy a few years back because the Italian variety is spicier than the one usually found in US stores, and planted in the garden, Since then it has reproduced itself every year by letting the seed drop when they are dry, thus now I can count on a small patch of zesty, organic leaves which we use in salads, pasta sauces, and pesto from May to September, and sometimes later.
To flavor the extra virgin olive oil I inserted two dozens cleaned, freshly harvested leaves in a 250-milliliter (1/2 a quart) bottle and added unfiltered extra virgin olive oil and left it to rest for a couple of weeks before starting to use it.
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