Nettle Pasta

A basket of nettles freshly picked and no stings. Things were going well until I picked up a stray stalk in the sink and I'm still tingling over twelve hours later. Nettle pasta was worth it though. As I have one household member who has aversion to most things green and good, I made regular pasta too. It was actually good to have the two side-by-side to notice the differences. Not too much in taste really. Texture yes. The nettle pasta is moister and slightly softer. This could be due to my preparation or maybe it is always the way.I can't say, I have haven't eaten nettle pasta anywhere else but at home. Anyway, on to the recipe.

Nettle Pasta

Ingredients

250 grams pasta flour (plain flour is fine)

85 grams semolina

165 grams blanched, drained and pureed nettle leaves (try to squeeze out extra moisture)

1 egg

Method

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix with hands until it comes together as a dough.

Knead the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured surface and then leave to rest.

Roll the dough in a pasta machine or as thin as possible with a rolling pin and cut into desired shape.

The dough can now be left to dry slightly before cooking.

The nettle pasta took abut 4 minutes to cook in boiling water.

The water left over from blanching the nettles is great in the compost or even added to chickens mash.

Spinach or chard could be used instead of nettles and would no doubt be just as vibrant and deicious.

Tracy