The seedlings of paccasassi are part of the Ancona culinary tradition. The paccasassi plant, commonly called marine fennel , grows spontaneously in summer, in the coastal areas, among the stones and rocks, favored by the saltiness, the sun and the wind that characterize its flavor. The stones have numerous nutritional virtues. They are rich in vitamin C, beta-catotene, flavonoids and iodine.
They have diuretic and digestive properties and help regulate and improve liver functions.
The paccasassi have been part of the Ancona culinary tradition since the fifteenth century, when even the sailors obtained nourishment from them. Known and even sung in the nineteenth century by the English playwright Shakespeare in his opera "King Lear".
This aromatic plant has a smell that recalls fennel, lemon and carrot, with a slightly bitter and spicy taste. Preserved in extra virgin olive oil, it goes perfectly with both fish dishes, seafood salads and tuna, and with cured meats such as mortadella, ciauscolo and cheeses.
They are also suitable as a condiment on pasta and salads.
The paccasassi plant is a species protected by the Conero Park, where its collection is prohibited, and by the Slow Food Ancona Conero foundation, which promotes the protection of biodiversity.
Today, in fact, farmed plants are grown respecting the original quality.