Whilst our orto is still in sad state after this long and wet winter, stinging nettles are growing everywhere like mad, so I’m going to make the most of them! Here in Italy, when the weeds start growing it’s traditional to go and collect the new leaves and shoots while they’re nice and tender. It’s surprising to find that wild plants such as le ortiche (stinging nettles), tarassaco (dandelions), and vitalba (Old Mans Beard, or wild clematis) are really tasty at this time of year, long before most cultivated vegetables have started growing.

Stinging nettles are very rich in vitamins and minerals, and can be used in a variety of recipes instead of spinach, e.g. soups, frittata, gnocchi, and risotto. Today I’m going to make il risotto alle ortiche (rice with stinging nettles). Warning: You’ll need a pair of rubber or leather gloves to avoid being stung while picking the nettles, and remember to pick only the new tender tops.

Preparation:

Using a pair of rubber gloves, carefully wash the stinging nettles, drain them, and chop them roughly. Finely chop the onion and the pancetta or bacon, if you’re using it. Pour the stock in a saucepan, and bring it to the boil.

In another saucepan melt half of the butter, add the chopped onion and pancetta, and gently fry them until the onion is soft but not burned. Add the sage leaf and the stinging nettles, and sauté them for a couple of minutes. Add the rice and gently ‘toast’ it whilst stirring with a wooden spoon. Pour in the wine and let it evaporate, then add a couple of ladles of the boiling stock, stir the rice and let it absorb all the liquid before adding some more stock. Continue in this way until the rice is cooked but still firm, or al dente as we say in Italian: it will take about 15-18 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the remaining butter and a couple of tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, freshly grated pepper, and check for saltiness. Mix everything, cover with the lid and leave it to rest for five minutes. This final process is called mantecare, it helps to make the risotto creamier and homogenous.

Serve the risotto hot, sprinkled with more Parmigiano if liked.

Buon Appetito!