There’s no other better time to cook this recipe, than Spring. The other day, we went exploring the vineyards in our region, and I took the opportunity to pick up some stinging nettles. My first recipe was nettles with polenta, an old traditional recipe in Romania. Yesterday evening, however, I decided to deviate from Romanian traditions, and try an Italian version of the recipe, by adapting the popular Pasta Tricolore with Spinach, to a recipe with nettles. The result… delicious! See the recipe, and all the steps, below:
Pasta Tricolore with Stinging Nettles
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| Serves | 4 |
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Cook time | 15 minutes |
| Total time | 20 minutes |
| Allergy | Egg, Milk, Wheat |
| Meal type | Main Dish |
| Misc | Child Friendly |
| By author | Fusion Mom |
An easy-to-cook Springtime dish, child friendly, tasty and ready in only twenty minutes.
Ingredients
- 400g stinging nettles (fresh)
- 400g pasta tricolore
- 250g cream cheese
- 2 cloves garlic (finely diced)
- 1 knob butter
- water to boil
- 1 drizzle olive oil
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- fresh herbs (marjoram, basil) (to taste)
- Parmigiano (freshly grated, to taste)
Directions
| Step 1 | |
| Bring salted water to boil, and throw the nettles in. Let boil for about 10 minutes. | |
| Step 2 | |
| Remove the cooked nettles from the boiling water then put them into a blender. Add garlic and herbs, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Flash blend the mixture. | |
| Step 3 | |
| Preheat a pan with a knob of butter. Add the nettle mixture and let cook, at medium heat, for 5 to 10 minutes. | |
| Step 4 | |
| Boil pasta in water till done. Drain pasta and put in frying pan. Add fried nettles and cream cheese, an cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. | |
| Step 5 | |
| Serve warm, with a drizzle of olive oil and Parmigiano to taste. | |
Note
Use low fat cream cheese, for a low-calorie diet.
