Nettle and tomato cream pasta is a tasty pasta dish filled with flavor. Nettles are an amazing, wild edible which is accessible in spring and is very common in most countries. Foraging for nettles is relatively easy if you just wear gloves and are a bit careful when handling them in the kitchen. As soon as they are blanched, they can be touched with bare hands. The best and most tasty nettles to forage are the new, fresh shoots or the top shoots of the more mature nettles. Keep them in a plastic bag for up to five days in the fridge.
Nettles can be used as a substitute for spinach and have a delicate unique flavor. Moreover, nettles are extremely healthy and are therefore great ingredients in many dishes.
Serve this nettle and tomato cream pasta with grated parmesan cheese and enjoy the taste of spring!
Nettle and Tomato Cream Pasta
Ingredients
Sauce
- 12 oz (350 grams) nettle leaves (including the stems)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
- 2 onions, diced
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 1.3 Ib (600 grams) fresh tomatoes, in quarters
- 14 oz (400 grams) canned chopped tomatoes
- 1 3/4 cups (4 dl) heavy cream, (alternatively coconut milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper
Pasta
- 14 oz (400 grams) fresh fettuccine pasta
To Serve
- Grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Blanch the Nettles
- Rinse the nettles in a colander or fill up a clean sink with water and soak the nettles for a few minutes.
- In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Blanch the nettles for about 1.5 minutes and bring the nettles back to the colander to drain. Pour cold water on them.
- Remove the stems from the nettles so you only have the leaves left. Squeeze out the water from the nettle leaves.
Sauce
- In a large wok pan, heat up the olive oil. Add garlic and onions and sauté for a few minutes.
- Add the fresh tomatoes and the sprigs of thyme, and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
- Remove the sprigs of thyme from the sauce.
- Add canned tomatoes, chili powder, nettle leaves, and heavy cream and mix well.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle boil and season with salt and pepper.
- Mix in the freshly cooked pasta and serve with grated parmesan cheese.
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