Risotto alle ortiche

Leslie Seaton / Nettle sack / CC BY 2.0

It may seem strange to use a wild plant to cook a first course, but nettle risotto has a delicate and refined taste! In addition to the risotto you can use nettle for the preparation of soups and omelettes, as a substitute for spinach in the preparation of gnocchi, or as a filling for ravioli combined with ricotta cheese. It is important to always choose the fresh and tender leaves, those that are found at the top end of the plant, even better if the plant is young and the stem thin.

cristina.sanvito / ortiche a pranzo / CC BY 2.0

INGREDIENTS

(for 4 servings)

2,5 cups Carnaroli rice

5 oz caciotta cheese

4 oz nettles

1 shallot

4-5 cups vegetable broth

1 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and ground black pepper to taste

PREPARATION

1. Blanch the nettle in plenty of salted water for 2-3 minutes, drain and transfer it to a bowl.

2. Finely chop the caciotta cheese coarsely.

3. Finely chop the shallots and sauté in a saucepan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then add the rice and toast it for a minute.

4. Sprinkle with a glass of white wine.

5. Submerge the rice with the boiling vegetable broth, stir and cook until it is al-dente.

6. Add the chopped nettles and finish cooking.

7. Stir in the caciotta cheese, butter and pepper.

BUON APPETITO!

Riccardo Cervelli / Italian cheese Caciotta / CC BY-ND 2.0