Stinging Nettle Pasta

INGREDIENTS

12 oz of dried pasta
6 oz of stinging nettles
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 oz of shallot (finely diced)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
1⁄2cup of dry white wine
1⁄2cup of heavy cream
3⁄4cup of Grana Padano (or Parmesan Reggiano, grated)

2 tbsp of lemon juice
2 tbsp of unsalted butter
1⁄4tsp of white pepper (freshly ground)
1⁄4tsp of nutmeg (freshly grated)
Lemon Zest (from 1 lemon)
Sea Salt

METHOD

Firstly, stinging nettles must be handled safely to avoid irritation. For this reason, gloves are recommended (dish washing gloves will work in a pinch), for all processing that precedes blanching. Remove any tough stems and wash the nettles if necessary, to remove any dirt or debris.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the nettles for 1 minute. Remove the nettles from the pot and plunge them immediately into a pre-prepared ice bath. Let them chill for another full minute and remove them from the bath before patting them dry with paper towels (or simply squeeze any excess water out of them). Your nettles are now safe to eat!

Prepare the pasta according to the instructions on the package (al dente). The pasta water should be very well salted, to the point that it tastes like ocean water.

Separately, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat and add the shallot. Sauté, stirring occasionally until well softened, but not browned. Add the garlic, stirring constantly until aromatic, before deglazing with the white wine and reducing until nearly all of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the mixture to a blender with blanched nettles, cream and Grana Padano. Puree the sauce until very smooth and creamy. Note that some of the pasta water may be added to the blender if the sauce is too thick. Return the sauce to a clean saucepan and place back over medium-low heat. At this point, the consistency of the sauce may be adjusted. Reduce to thicken, or add additional pasta water to thin. Lastly, mount the sauce with butter and lemon juice, and season with zest, nutmeg, white pepper and salt (to taste).

Transfer the pasta to the saucepan and toss gently to coat. Serve the finished pasta in a warm bowl and garnish with additional Grana Padano and lemon zest if desired. Toasted breadcrumbs are also a lovely addition and add texture, as well as flavor.