Nettles-ortiche

Nettles (NOT to be confused with poison ivy!) are usually associated with nasty itching, but not only are they commestible, they have medicinal properties as well (cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stinging_nettle). It so happens I treat my annual hay fever with nettle tea, which means during the month of April tons of nettles get boiled up. Pity to waste a tasty green, therefore I've dusted off some old fashioned recipes and adapted others to use the nettles. Since nettles grow all over the place, next time you see some just pick a generous handful (preferably with a plastic bag or gloves, or else grasp bottom, avoiding leaves).
All of the recipes below are made with pre-boiled nettles. If using fresh ones, clean & cook them like spinach (for those who don't make fresh spinach, this means remove stems & dunk in boiling water for 2 min). Actually, nettles may be substituted for spinach in many recipes! In Italy pasta fillings calling for spinach are made also with nettles (ex: cannelloni, tortellini, ravioli....)
Nearly all the recipes call for them to be sauted in garlic & olive oil or butter. Or just add them to soup!

Nettle cream sauce
Great on pasta! Sauté nettles with garlic & a few chili peppers. Add heavy cream. Serve on pasta of any kind (very nice on ham tortellini) with parmesan cheese.

Frittata di ortiche (Nettle omelet)
Sauté with onions or garlic. Whisk 5 eggs with some milk & parmesan cheese. Pour over nettles, wait until mixture firms a bit then turn down heat and cover. Cook until center is firm & edges golden. Place a plate over pan, flip omlet onto plate, then slide back into pan to cook other side. Serve hot or cold.

Risotto di ortiche (Nettle risotto)
Boil down nettles, remove from water, set aside to cool. Either melt a boullion cube in the left over water or add stock.
Sauté onions in oil or butter. Add nettles when onions turn transparent. Stir well.
Add arborio rice, stirring until transparent.
Add a glass of white wine, lower heat.
As wine evaporates, slowly add stock 6 nettle water mixture, stirring constantly until rice is al dente.
Serve hot with parmesan.