Spring Nettle Pesto Pasta - Seasonal Recipe
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Spring Nettle Pesto Pasta
Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) have been eaten across Europe since the Iron Age; in Scotland and Scandinavia they were boiled as a "hunger green" in lean springs before other crops appeared.
Ingredients
- 400g (14 oz) pasta (linguine or trofie work well)
- 150g (5 oz) young stinging nettle tips (use gloves to handle)
- 40g (⅓ cup) toasted walnuts or pine nuts
- 60g (½ cup) Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
- 2 cloves garlic
- 80ml (⅓ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt and black pepper
- Extra Parmigiano to serve
Method
- Step 1 — Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Blanch nettles 2–3 minutes — this neutralises the sting. Drain, cool in ice water, squeeze out moisture firmly.
- Cooking — Cook pasta in the same pot until al dente. Reserve 120ml (½ cup) pasta water before draining.
- Step 3 — In a food processor, combine nettles, nuts, garlic, and Parmigiano. Pulse to a rough paste.
- Step 4 — With motor running, stream in olive oil until smooth. Add lemon juice; season generously.
- Tossing — Toss drained pasta with pesto, adding splashes of pasta water to loosen until sauce coats each strand.
- Serving — Serve with extra Parmigiano.