Strettine (Nettle Pasta)

Strettine comes from Emilia Romagna, just north of Rome in Italy. This same region is also famous for Parmigiano (parmesan) cheese and Bolognese sauce. After eating heavy, preserved food all winter, Strettine is one of the first spring dishes using fresh greens, a nutritious and cleansing spring tonic! If you want to read more about the health benefits and medicinal uses of Stinging Nettle, check out this post.

Ingredients:

• About 3 cups fresh, packed stinging nettle leaves (about 1 cup blanched)

• 1 large, organic egg

• 2 heaping cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour

To Prepare:

1. Harvest stinging nettle with gloves. Using tongs, blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes then remove to a bowl of ice water (after cooking, the leaves no longer sting!)

2. Remove blanched leaves from tough stems and place in a food processor

3. Add egg and puree to a smooth consistency

4. Slowly add flour a little at a time and pulse until a dough forms (if it is too stiff add a little reserved nettle water, if it is too sticky add a little more flour)

5. Remove the dough from the food processor and knead for 6-8 minutes until

6. smooth and elastic

7. Cover with some olive oil and wrap in plastic wrap

8. Allow the dough to rest for 1 hour (at this point you can also freeze the dough for later use)

9. Flour your countertop and rolling pin and roll the dough out to a little less than 1/8” thick (this takes some muscle to do by hand, you can also use a pasta machine if you have one)

10. Cut dough into long, thin, flat noodles using a pizza cutter

11. You can use the noodles fresh, dust noodles with flour and hang to dry or pick up small batches and twist into a little nest and allow to dry.

To Cook:

Boil in salted water until they float, then for another minute or two.