Nettle Pesto
Use on pizza, pasta, sandwiches, with cheese, in salad dressings and dips. No fresh nettles? You can substitute with basil or arugula, but use these fresh, don’t blanch.
Servings 2.5 cups
Ingredients
- ¾ cup pine nuts walnuts, or favorite nut of choice
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 1 cup cooked nettles start with 3 packed cups of fresh nettle leaves
- if substituting with basil or other herb 1 cup of fresh leaves
- 2/3 cup olive oil more or less
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
- Dash lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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To cook the nettles: With gloves on, place leaves in a pot of salted, boiling water for 1 or 2 minutes. Lift out of pot, drain, and submerge the leaves in ice water, “shocking” them to keep the beautiful green color. Drain and squeeze dry. Coarsely chop.
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In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients. If the pesto is too thick, add more olive oil. Season to taste. Pour into a glass jar or other container and top with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent the surface from discoloring. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Freezes well.
Recipe Notes
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.