Homemade Nettle Pasta with Fava Beans

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Ingredients

For pasta
1 1/2 C flour
1/2 cup boiled, squeezed and pureed stinging nettle
2 large eggs

To serve
1 C lightly boiled and shelled fava beans
2 Tbs EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1/2 C grated Pecorino Grand Cru (or other hard Italian cheese)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
zest of half a lemon

Put the flour in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Make a well in the flour and add the nettles and egg. Run the mixer at medium low speed until it more or less comes together.

You may need to add a little water, but go slow. Add a tsp of water then let it run for a minute before you decide to add more water. Once it’s all combined, turn up the speed to medium and let the dough hook work its kneading magic. Take the ball of dough and wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for about 20 minutes. This helps in the formation of gluten that will give your pasta a nice firm texture.

Run the pasta through your pasta machine following the machines directions then cut it in whatever shape you like. Make sure you dust the newly minted pasta with ample amounts of flour, otherwise it will stick together.

For the fava beans, shell the fava beans from the pods then boil a pot of well salted water dumping the beans in and cooking for about a minute. Drain the beans then shell again removing the pale green membrane on the outside of each bean.

Boil a large pot of well salted water then add the pasta making sure it doesn’t stick together. Boil for 2-3 minutes testing for a texture that pleases you. I like mine al dente.

Drain the pasta and toss with the shelled fava beans, olive oil, lemon zest, cheese and pepper.

Serve immediately. I like to have this with a grilled spicy sausage like chorizo or andouille, but it makes a fine meal on its own if you are of the veggie persuasion.

• 
  telliecoin says

  stinging nettles? I never knew they were edible in any sense.. aren't they poisonous if you brush against them while you're out taking a walk?

• 
  DaveWood says

  yes if you brush them when outside is painful, but they are delicious when cooked. its been ages since I seen then in a recipe or on the table. I'd like to try this recipe if I get all the ingredients together

• 
  norecipes says

  Their needles contain formic acid, which is a skin irritant, but when you cook them the acid is neutralized and greens are actually quite good for you (lots of vitamins A,C,D and iron)

• 
  norecipes says

  Their needles contain formic acid, which is a skin irritant, but when you cook them the acid is neutralized and greens are actually quite good for you (lots of vitamins A,C,D and iron)

• 
  telliecoin says

  ah! super! :D

• 
  spongefile says

  Yep, nettles are delicious! My mom makes quiche with them. Just don't pick old ones, they're stringy and tough.

• 
  yongfook says

  thoroughly interesting re: formic acid...

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