Homemade Stinging Nettle Pasta Food

PASTA WITH STINGING NETTLES

Steps:

• Toast walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• Wearing dish gloves or disposable gloves, rinse nettles under running water to remove any dust or dirt. Cut off all the thick main stems.
• Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Drop nettles into the boiling water and cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse immediately under cold water, then drain again. Squeeze nettles gently to remove some of the excess water; they can be a little bit wet. Transfer nettles to a cutting board and chop.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet. Add garlic and cook until fragrant and translucent, without browning, 1 to 2 minutes. Add chopped nettles and cook, stirring, until heated through. Drizzle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and mix in remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
• Toss with pasta and serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

HOMEMADE STINGING NETTLE PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to boil. Blanch your stinging nettle leaves for 3 minutes. Strain and rinse under very cold water (this stops the cooking process). Squeeze out as much water as possible.
• Add your nettles and egg to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
• Add your flour to a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixture. Using the back of a spoon create a divot in the flour and pour in your egg/nettle mixture. Using a spoon or dough hook, mix until it's well combined. Your flour mixture should not be stick to your fingers. If it is too sticky add flour; too dry add a bit of water.
• Turn out your dough on a flour surface/counter and knead until it forms a smooth/elastic ball. This will take a few minutes.
• Wrap in plastic wrap or beeswrap and place in the fridge for about half an hour.
• Roll our your dough and using your pasta maker cut your pasta into the desired shape (linguine or spaghetti). If you don't have a pasta maker alternatively you can roll your dough very thin and cut using a knife or pizza cutter.
• Either cook right way or hang for a few hours to dry (this is personal preference). Personally I have been finding better results if I let my pasta hang dry for an hour or two.
• When you are ready to cook add to a pot of boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes (fresh pasta cooks much faster than store bought dried).
• Serve with your favourite sauce, butter or pesto. Enjoy!

STINGING NETTLE PESTO

Steps:

• Steam the nettle.
• Once that is done remove from the steamer and let sit for a few minutes to drain.
• Put the steamed nettle into the food processor and add all the other ingredients except the olive oil. Turn on the machine and process then slowly add the olive oil in a small stream into the ingredients until used up.
• You should have a nice smooth sauce when done.
• Mix over your favourite hot pasta and add a little more cheese if desired.
• Enjoy with a glass of chilled wine and garlic bread.
• Bon Appetit.

PASTA WITH CREAMY STINGING NETTLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Pick the nettles using gloves.
• Remove the stems and blanche the leaves in boiling salted water for one minute.
• Drain and rough chop.
• Cook the pasta.
• Heat the cream in a large saute pan. Once it simmers add the nettles and reduce the misture by half.
• Drain your pasta and put into a big dish and add the Nettle Cream sauce. Add grated nutmeg, cheese and seasonings. Give it a toss and serve hot.
• Bon Appetit!