A vibrant, verdant-hued heap of homemade nettle linguini sits ringed by a colourful array of seashells bedazzled with still-glistening clams and cerise prawns. Bright flecks of red chili and lemon zest lend pops of color, while a dusting of crumbled pecorino and chopped parsley crowns the creation.

Nettle-Infused Linguini with Springtime Seafood Medley

Name: Nettle-Infused Linguini with Springtime Seafood Medley
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: fresh nettles, 1 cup blanched and finely chopped; whole wheat pasta flour, 300g; large eggs, 2; sea salt, 1 tsp; olive oil, 2 tbsp; garlic cloves, 3 minced; red chili, 1 seeds removed, finely chopped; fresh clams, 200g cleaned; fresh prawns, 200g unshelled; lemon, Zest and juice of 1; small bunch parsley, 1 chopped; pecorino cheese, 100g crumbled; extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle; salt and pepper, to season

Category Main Course

Prep 60 minutes

Cook 15 minutes

Style Italian

Technique Sautéing

Diet Friendly Low-Carb

Daily Recipe: April 26, 2024

This unique dish blends the fresh ocean flavours of clams and prawns with the slightly spicy bitterness of seasonal nettles. Tossed with homemade linguini and a zippy lemon-garlic butter, this seafood pasta is as intriguing as it is appealing, but without being overly complicated.

Ingredients (for 4)

Fresh nettles - 1 cup - blanched and finely chopped
Whole wheat pasta flour - 300g
Large eggs - 2
Sea salt - 1 tsp
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Garlic cloves - 3 - minced
Red chili - 1 - seeds removed, finely chopped
Fresh clams - 200g - cleaned
Fresh prawns - 200g - unshelled
Lemon - Zest and juice of 1
Small bunch parsley - 1 - chopped
Pecorino cheese - 100g - crumbled
Extra virgin olive oil - - to drizzle
Salt and pepper - - to season

Preparation

Step 1 - 🍲🥚🌱

On a clean surface, form a well with the pasta flour and mix in the chopped nettles. Beat the eggs and slowly pour into the well, incorporating the flour mixture slowly. Knead until you have a silky green dough, adding more flour if required. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
Step 2 - 🍝✂️🎯

Use a pasta machine to roll out the pasta dough and cut it into linguini strips. Set it aside.
Step 3 - 🔥🍳🌶️

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan, and sauté the garlic and red chilli until fragrant. Add the clams and prawns, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the clams open and the prawns turn pink.
Step 4 - 🍲🔥🍝

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 5 - 🍝🦐🍋

Drain the pasta, reserve some of the pasta water, and mix the pasta with the seafood in the pan. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and a little pasta water, if needed, to create a light sauce.
Step 6 - 🍽️🧀🪴

Plate the pasta, garnish each dish with chopped parsley, crumbled pecorino, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and extra seasoning if needed.

Additional

This dish is a stellar way to highlight nettles, which are a super food brimming with vitamins and minerals. Feel free to add any other fresh seafood you desire or available; scallops or mussels would work wonderfully. Children can assist with the making of the pasta - a fun and tactile process!