Stinging Nettle Recipe For the Brave of Mouth
Servings: 2 - 4 servings
Ingredients
- ¼ pound fresh stinging nettles
- 8 ounces pasta
- ½ cup olive oil extra virgin
- ¼ pound fresh ricotta cheese
- 1 lemon for zest and juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parley chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 handful fresh sorrel leaves washed and torn into bite sized pieces
- ½ cup walnuts toasted
Instructions
- Bring two large pots of salted water to a boil. One will be for the pasta and the other for the nettles.
- When the water comes to a boil in one of the pots, "carefully" add the nettles and give them a stir. Cook for 5 minutes and transfer them to a colander with a slotted spoon. You want to leave any dirt or grit in the cooking water. Let the nettle drain.
- Add the pasta to the other pot of clean water and cook until al dente.
- While the pasta is cooking, press most of the water out of the nettles, transfer them to a food processor and puree.
- Drizzle in the olive oil and process until completely smooth.
- Add the ricotta, lemon zest and juice and herbs. Pulse the processor to blend all the ingredients.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Remove a cup of the water the pasta is cooking in and reserve. Drain the pasta and then return it to the pot.
- Toss in the nettle ricotta cheese mixture and stir to combine.
- Add the fresh sorrel and a little of the reserved pasta water to create the desired consistency of the sauce.
- Stir in the walnuts and serve.