A delicious homemade Walnut Nettle Pesto folded into Penne Pasta and topped with a simple Arugula Lemon Salad! Delightfully simple to make with eight ingredients! Cooking with seasonal herbs and vegetables brings me joy. When I create a recipe I think about the tastes to create a delightful balance. Like, adding this simple arugula salad to this dish because bitter greens help me digest the pasta. While the lemon brightens with it’s lovely acidity. And, sometimes, I like to pair other foods with a dish to incorporate all six tastes.

Two weeks ago, I picked up a one pound bag of nettles. I’ve been enjoying creating new recipes and being inspired by Spring’s vitality. I love this recipe because it was exactly what I was needing, something fresh, new and different, after Winter’s dark cold season. See recipe below…

First, I begin with an Ayurveda practice before cooking that I love, helping to keep past, present, or future worries and thoughts from being cooked in or stirred into the food. To ground me into the moment before gathering the ingredients to have everything in arms reach. I close my eyes and take a few rounds of deep breaths.

Next, I fill a large pot with enough water to cover the pasta, 1/2 TBS salt, and heating over medium-high until boiling. Then, adding the pasta and cooking until al dente (soft, slightly chewy), about 15 minutes. Checking the pasta throughout and turning down heat to medium-low if water returns to rolling-boil.

While the pasta is cooking I prepare the arugula salad, giving the flavors time to merry. Adding arugula, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tsp EVOO, 1/8 tsp of each salt, pepper, and chili flake to large bowl. Tossing with tongs / spoon + fork. Tasting and adding more salt, pepper, EVOO, chili flake here if needed to balance out the flavors.

Once pasta is cooked I like to immediately drain it into a colander. Returning the pasta to the hot pot and tossing with 1/2 TBS EVOO, 1/4 tsp salt, gently folding with a spoon. Then, adding the pesto, continuing to fold in all ingredients until equally dispersed. Tasting, adding more salt if needed.

Music is an important element to my cooking and I’m loving listening to this mix while creating and enjoying this recipe!

Next, I bowl/plate the pasta asap, before it cools off, and topping each dish with the arugula salad. Finally, finish each plate with a dusting of lemon zest.

Recipe

Serves 4

Prep : 10 min

Cook : 20 min

Total : 30 min

Organic Ingredients

Mise en place - large pot, pesto, EVOO, s&p, chili flake, arugula, large bowl, tongs/fork+spoon, large wooden spoon, lemon, grater/microplane, salt, colander.

Trusting Walnut Nettle Pesto Pasta

• 1 lb Penne Pasta

• 6 oz Walnut Nettle Pesto

• 3 oz Arugula

• Zest and juice from 1 large Lemon

• 1 TBS + 1/4 tsp Natural Mineral Salt

• 1/8 tsp Pepper

• 1/8 tsp Chili Flake

• 1/2 TBS + 1 tsp EVOO

Directions

1. First, I fill a large pot with enough water to cover the pasta, 1/2 TBS salt, and heating over medium-high until boiling. Then, adding the pasta and cooking until al dente (soft, slightly chewy), about 15 minutes. Checking the pasta throughout and turning down heat to medium-low if water returns to rolling-boil.

2. Next, add arugula, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tsp EVOO, 1/8 tsp of each salt, pepper, and chili flake to large bowl. Tossing with tongs / spoon + fork. Tasting and adding more salt, pepper, EVOO, chili flake here if needed to balance out the flavors.

3. Then, Once pasta is cooked I like to immediately drain the pasta into a colander. Returning the pasta to the hot pot and tossing with 1/2 TBS EVOO, 1/4 tsp salt, gently folding with a spoon. Adding the pesto, continuing to fold in all ingredients until equally dispersed. Tasting, adding more salt if needed.

4. Finally, I bowl/plate the pasta asap, before it cools off, and topping each dish with arugula salad and lemon zest.

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