Equipment
Ingredients
Main Components
- 400 g farro pasta, dry
- 200 g fresh stinging nettles, unwashed, leaves only
- 350 g mild italian sausage, casings removed
Aromatics & Finishing
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic, minced
- 2 g red pepper flakes
- 50 g ricotta salata, grated
- 1 lemon, zested
- kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 702 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbohydrates
- 82 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fiber
- 13 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 884 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 13 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 60 mg
- Potassium
- 812 mg
- Calcium
- 324 mg
- Iron
- 6.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 172 mg
- Phosphorus
- 496 mg
- Zinc
- 4.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 61 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 254 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.43 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.51 mg
- Niacin
- 14.0 mg
- Folate
- 77 mcg
- Water
- 104 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Wearing thick rubber gloves to prevent skin irritation, carefully pick the nettle leaves from their tough stems. Discard the stems.
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F. Add the nettle leaves and blanch for exactly 2 minutes to completely remove the sting. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the nettles to a colander. Rinse briefly with cold water, squeeze out excess liquid, and chop roughly. Retain the boiling water for the pasta.
Return the nettle-infused water to a boil. Add the farro pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve at least 250ml of the starchy pasta water before draining.
While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until deeply browned and an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F is reached. Wash hands and any surfaces thoroughly after handling the raw pork.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the sausage. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the chopped blanched nettles and the drained farro pasta to the skillet. Pour in 120ml of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything vigorously until the starchy water and sausage fat emulsify into a glossy sauce coating the pasta. Add more pasta water if the dish seems dry.
Remove from heat. Top with grated ricotta salata and fresh lemon zest just before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Always wear rubber or thick nitrile gloves when handling raw nettles. The formic acid that causes the sting is completely destroyed by blanching or sautéing.
- Farro pasta has a robust, nutty flavor and a denser chew that stands up perfectly to earthy greens and rich meats compared to standard wheat pasta.
- Ricotta salata is pressed, salted, and aged ricotta. It is much saltier than fresh ricotta, so always taste the finished dish before deciding if additional seasoning is needed.
- Do not discard the water used to blanch the nettles! Cooking the pasta in this vibrant, nutrient-rich green water enhances the earthy flavor of the whole dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
The pasta dish feels dry or sticky
Cause: Not enough pasta water was added during assembly, or the pasta absorbed the sauce too quickly
Fix: Stir in a splash of warm reserved pasta water or a little chicken broth over low heat until the sauce loosens
Prevention: Always reserve at least a full cup (250ml) of pasta water before draining
Dish is too salty
Cause: Over-salting the pasta water combined with the naturally salty sausage and ricotta salata
Fix: Add a squeeze of lemon juice to balance the saltiness, or a small amount of unsalted butter
Prevention: Hold back on adding extra salt until the very end, keeping the cheese and sausage in mind
Cultural Context
Stinging nettles (ortica) are a traditional springtime foraging ingredient in Italian cooking, often used in ravioli fillings, risottos, and rustic pasta dishes. Paired with farro, an ancient grain deeply rooted in Roman history, this dish embodies the Italian philosophy of eating locally and seasonally.
