Gnocchi alle ortiche - Nettle Gnocchi

Nettles are everywhere in May and June, and I like to add this healthy herb to my dishes (soups, frittatas, pasta, risotto) as it brings flavour and wellness. You might find stinging nettles in your Farmers Markets but I suggest your picking them in the fields, while you are walking. Remember that nettles sting, so you need gloves and scissors, along with long trousers when you pick them. Harvest the nettles by cutting off only the upper leaves and separate them from the stalk when you are at home.

You need to wear gloves when you wash your nettle leaves. Drain them and sauté in little oil for two/three minutes until wilted. 

You boil 500 g of potatoes, skin on, until soft, for 45/60 minutes, it depends on the size.

Rice your potatoes in a large bowl when they are still hot.

Blend your cooked nettles and add them to the riced potatoes. Mix through with a fork and incorporate the flour and the beaten egg to the potato mixture. Season with salt and black pepper.

Cut the dough into 8 parts. Roll out one part into a long, thin sausage, about 2 cm thick. Cut the sausage in half, if it becomes too long. Slice the sausage into 1 cm gnocchi and set aside on a floured surface. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the gnocchi in 3 batches, stirring gently to prevent them from sticking together. Boil until they float to the surface, for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain with a slotted spoon and arrange them in a warm serving dish.
In a small pan, melt 100 g of butter with 4 large leaves of sage, chopped. Dress your gnocchi and serve at once with freshly grated Parmesan.

Gnocchi alle ortiche - Nettle Gnocchi
500 g baking potatoes
100 g nettle leaves
150 g plain white flour
1 large egg, slightly beaten
4 large sage leaves, chopped
100 g butter
30 g freshly grated Parmesan

1. In a pan, cover your potatoes with cold water. Bring it to the boil and cook for 40 to 50 minutes until soft. Drain and peel them.

2. Rice the potatoes with a potato ricer.

3. Meanwhile, in a frying pan, heat little oil and sauté the nettle leaves until just wilted. Blend them.

4. Combine the nettle puree with the potatoes. Add the egg and the flour and mix through. depending on the potatoes, you may need to add a little more flour. Season with salt and pepper.

5. On a flour-dusted surface, knead the potato mixture for few minutes until pliable. Then, divide it into 8 pieces and roll each into a sausage about 2 cm thick. Slice into 1 cm lengths.
6. Cook in three batches in a pan of boiling salted water for 2 to 3 minutes. As soon as they come up to the surface they are ready.

7. Remove with slotted spoon and toss with melted butter and sage. 

8. Serve at once, with plenty of Parmesan.