Unknown Vegetable - Scropit? Scropite?

[IlCuoco]

Hey All,

I was just watching Linea Verde on RAI and they showed some form of green leafy vegetable that I think was called Scropit (or something like that. Non parlo Italiano)? Has anyone heard of it, can you describe a taste?

Just curious.

[hathor]

Can you describe the appearance of the vegetable a bit better? Dark green? Medium? Varigated? Long legs/stems? etc?

[IlCuoco]

Can you describe the appearance of the vegetable a bit better? Dark green? Medium? Varigated? Long legs/stems? etc?

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Very similar to rucola but a bit darker. Seems to be served cooked rather than raw.

I suspect (but don't know) that it's a bitter green...

[Kevin72]

If I recall, there's a leafy green used in the cooking of Friuli Venezia-Giulia called slopit. I'll try and confirm it and gather what it tastes like.

[Pontormo]

If I recall, there's a leafy green used in the cooking of Friuli Venezia-Giulia called slopit.  I'll try and confirm it and gather what it tastes like.

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Out of curiosity, I tried searching with "slopit" and "Friuli" and came up with tarragon--or "dragoncello". Cf. this link and scroll down till you come to the picture on the lower right. For some reason, "sclopit" appears in English translation, "slopit" for the Italian text.

But is that correct? The second link in search came across photos in an Italian culinary site where the green ("erba") may be used in greater abundance than tarragon: Coquinaria. Scroll down a bit to the brief entry by Giuliana who posts two links, the first with photograph of silvery, thin, tapered leaves, the second a drawing of a flowering plant. One member says it grows by the side of the road; April and May are times to find it. Around Rome it's known as "strigoli" or "stridoli". Flavor compared to fresh peas. This seems the most relevant link.

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Final source consulted: an online dictionary of Friulian terms told me the plant "slopit" is what is called "bubboline" in Italian. A Coquinaria member refers to bubboli, but this is quite different. An image search (for bubboline) came up with Papaver rhoeas L. or corn poppy: Rosolaccio (scroll down). Apparently, useful information for new or expectant fathers and mothers if not IlCuoco. Nursing mothers might be able to transfer its medicinal properties to infants if petals infused and sipped in tea. It's supposed to cure the insomnia of children.

Edited May 7, 2007 by Pontormo (log)

[arni psito]

A google search for "sclopit" comes up with various alternate names and definitions, inclding:

Sclopit: the common name of this plant is “tarragon”. The Friulian name Sclopit derives from the shape of the flower that bursts when it is crushed. It is a perennial plant that can replace parsley or be used in salads or sauces.

[IlCuoco]

Hmmm...interesting. Thanks all. I thought it was scropit but sclopit seems to win the day. It is odd, however, in that the cooking segment I was watching was using it as a main ingredient rather than an herb.

*shrug*

Thanks one and all.

[Kevin72]

According to Fred Plotkin in Terra Fortunata, sclopit is the local word for silene, a hop-like plant. It is used primarily in risotto or fritattas, either alone or as part of a number of other herbs.

[azureus]

According to gardening websites that sell Italian seed, the plant is Silene inflata. You can order seed for Scuplit

here. I've also seen it called sculpit. I think the confusion stems from all the various spellings for it.

I keep intending to try some in my garden.

April