Easy Nettle Pesto & a few recipes
Nettle pesto is a delightful twist on the classic recipe, bringing the unique, earthy flavour of nettles to your table. Packed with nutrients, this pesto is perfect for pasta, pies, or as a dressing. If you don't have enough nettles, feel free to combine them with other leafy greens like spinach, mint, parsley, or the classic basil for a delicious sauce. Nettles are in season now, so they are accessible for foraging spring and early summer.
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh nettle leaves, packed (blanched to remove sting)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds work well)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Prepare the Nettles:
Wearing gloves, rinse the nettle leaves thoroughly to remove dirt and bugs.
Blanch the nettles by boiling them in water for 1 minute, then immediately transferring them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
Drain the nettles and squeeze out any excess water.
Blend the Pesto:
In a food processor, combine the blanched nettle leaves, grated Parmesan cheese, nuts, and minced garlic.
Pulse until the mixture is well chopped.
Add Oil and Seasoning:
With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.
Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and pulse a few more times to combine.
Prepare a simple summer plate
The nettle pesto pairs well with with an Italian style antipasto plate that has some nectarine slices, parma ham and a handful of micro greens (red and green daikon)
For this pesto: I foraged young birch leaves and nettles and also added in some basil. It made a great pesto for this pasta dish
Easy Savoury Nettle Pesto Pie
Puff pasty
Nettle pesto
Cream Cheese
Sliced Shallot
egg yolk for brushing the sides of the puff pastry
Directions
Preheat oven to 200C
Cut the puff pastry into a square. With the help of a knife, score another smaller square (indent) into the centre but make sure the knife does not go all the way through.
Take a few spoonfuls of your ready made pesto and mix it together with a few spoonfuls of creamcheese. Spread this mixture into the centre of the (smaller) square so that you are left with puff pastry sides all around. Add some shallot slices on top.
Brush the sides of the puff pastry with egg yolk and place into an oven for about 10- 15 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown from the edges.
