Spadona Chicory (Cichorium intybus L.)

Spadona chicory (Cichorium intybus L.): This is a traditional Italian variety, especially widespread in central and southern Italy. The name "Spadona" derives from the shape of its leaves, which are long and tapered like a sword. Cultivated for generations for its productivity and hardiness, it is one of the oldest and most prized chicory varieties in Italian family gardens. It is part of the heritage of typical Mediterranean vegetables and retains the authentic flavor of wild chicory, but with a greater tenderness. This hardy, fast-growing herbaceous plant produces open heads and continually regrows after cutting. The leaves have a crunchy texture and a pleasantly bitter taste, typical of wild chicory. They are harvested a month after planting by cutting the leaves at the base and leaving the younger ones in the center of the head, which will soon regrow to provide further harvests. It is eaten in a variety of ways: excellent raw in salads for a bold flavor, or sautéed, boiled, or used as a base for soups and rustic pies. Its bitter note gives personality to many traditional Italian recipes.
In the field it is very easy to grow, it does not require fertilization if grown after other crops where you have amended the soil.