It is used as a leaf vegetable, which looks like a longer leaved and open lettuce. It is rich in vitamin C and iron. It is frequently cultivated, although domestication cannot be considered complete. It has been grown in the Mediterranean area since Roman times, and was considered an aphrodisiac. Before the 1990s it was usually collected in the wild and was not cultivated on a large scale or researched scientifically. It is now cultivated in various places, especially in Veneto, Italy, but is available throughout the world. It is also locally naturalised away from its native range in temperate regions around the world, including northern Europe and North America. It has a rich, peppery taste, and is exceptionally strongly flavoured for a leafy green. It is generally used in salads but also cooked as a vegetable with pastas or meats and in coastal Slovenia (especially Koper), it is added in the squeaky cheese burek. In Italy, it is often used in pizzas, added just before the baking period ends or immediately afterwards, so that it can wilt in the heat. It is sometimes used as an ingredient in pesto, either in addition to basil or as a (non-traditional) substitute. A dish in Veneto consists of shredded, cured horsemeat on a bed of rocket leaves dressed with olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

Arugula recipes