Recipe Archives->Pasta->Nettle 02

Pasta with Stinging Nettles and Ramps Pesto
                                                                                
1 lb fresh pasta (spaghetti or linguine) 
1 thick bunch stinging nettles
1 bunch ramps
1/2 cup walnuts
quality extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
1 cup freshly grated Grana Padano

With rubber gloves, so your hands don't come in contact with stinging
nettles, wash the nettles and trim their ends and any wilted rotting
leaves you might find. Set the nettles aside. 

Heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Wash ramps carefully and thinly slice them. Add ramps to the oil
and saute slowly.

Once ramps start looking translucent and wilted, put the gloves
back on and place the nettles on the pan on top of the ramps.
Decrease the heat to low and cook until nettles are wilted and turn
a darker green.

Remove from heat and spoon the nettles and ramps into a food
processor.  Add in the walnuts. Add a few spoons olive oil and start
pulsing until the mixture resembles the consistency of pesto.  How
much oil you add depends on you and how thick or thinnish you like
your pesto.

Mix as much pesto as you need for however much pasta you are making.
Top very generously with Grana Padano. Leftover pesto will keep a
few days.

Note: Please don't touch the stinging nettles with bare hands. they
are called stinging nettles for a reason. use rubber gloves to
handle them at home to avoid a skin irritation.

Printable version: nettle02.txt.