Risotto Alle Nettles

How to prepare risotto with nettles, a simple and "free" recipe using nettle from the garden.

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Nettles, here's how to use them to prepare an excellent Risotto. THE'nettle is a plant rich in trace elements and property remineralizing, considered particularly useful in case of anemia and iron deficiency. Nettle is used in both fresh and dry cooking.

In spring, the balsamic time for the nettle harvest is the month of April. It is in fact preferable to collect, especially from the herbal point of view, the fresh nettle tops before the flowering of the plant, but it is also possible to use the one harvested in May. To prepare the risotto all ortiche you can use both fresh nettle and dried nettle. Dried nettle is easily found in herbal shops or online, while you can harvest fresh nettle in places as far away from busy roads and pollution as possible, wearing gloves. The nettle it loses its irritating properties with cooking.

Here's how to prepare risotto with nettles. With the indicated ingredients you will get 2 servings.

Ingredients for risotto with nettles

• 180 gr rice for risotto
• 1 shallot
• 1 liter of vegetable soup
• 200 gr nettle (10 grams of dried nettle)
• 1 teaspoon of chopped rosemary
• 1 teaspoon of chopped oregano
• extra virgin olive oil to taste
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

• Preparation Time:
  15 minutes
• Cooking time:
  20 minutes
• Rest time:
  -
• Dose:
  2 people to
• Difficulty:
  low

How to prepare nettle risotto

• First of all you will need to have 1 liter of vegetable broth, preferably made by you according to your habits, and bring it to a boil.
• Meanwhile, heat two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan or pan. Chop a shallot or a small piece of leek (about 30 grams) and let it brown briefly in a pan.
• Then a pour in the rice and toast it lightly as in the normal preparation of risotto. Lower the heat and mix with a wooden spoon.
• Pour in two ladles of vegetable broth and continue mixing. If you want, you can also add a little white wine to the preparation of the risotto.
• Gradually add the broth while the risotto is cooking and also add the chopped nettles, rosemary and oregano. Even in the case of herbs you can decide to choose them fresh or dried, depending on what you have available.
• Bring the risotto to cooking in about 20 minutes continuing to stir from time to time with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper.
• Season with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (or other condiments you like, according to your habits) and let the risotto rest with the lid on for a couple of minutes before serving.

Here it is ready a light and tasty dish which highlights the characteristic taste of nettles.

Bon appetit!

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• Spring Risotto: 10 healthy and purifying recipes
• Nettle: the thousand benefits and how to best use it