Stinging Nettle Pesto

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup hazelnuts
• 6 cups nettles (including stems), or more to taste
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Place hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until toasted, 3 to 4 minutes.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Wearing gloves, add nettles to boiling water; cook until nettles are tender and still maintain the bright green color, about 2 minutes. Immediately transfer to a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Let nettles cool and drain.

Place the nettles in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze excess water from the greens.

Combine nettles, hazelnuts, Parmesan cheese, and salt in a food processor fitted with a puree blade. Pulse a few times before turning the processor on. Stream olive oil through the feeding tube while the processor is running until pesto is smooth.