Wild Nettle Pie

Hi all,

Hope you are well, Cath and I are back in the UK on a visit to mum & dad. We are in leafy Surrey in the UK, it's been a while since our last visit so we thought we would whizz over and help out with filling their freezer with tasty bakes and to help out in the garden and jobs around the house.

It's not just a one way street of course, we get lots back… especially by spending time with mum in her amazing garden and allotment where we learn more about our natural surroundings. Mum has a wealth of knowledge and we will be taking lots of hints, tips and tricks back with us to improve our own gardening.

It’s springtime here in the south of England and the weather has been stunning, cool mornings, bright blue skies and warm weather. We have not had rain and we have enjoyed country lane walks, gardening, roast dinners and cheeky knock off G&T's as well as episodes of the OG UK Masterchef (with the new judges). Bliss!

I’ll be back in Aus soon but for now here is a quality little recipe we made this week. You can switch greens if you don’t have stinging nettles near you.

Stinging nettles are EVERYWHERE here in the UK, especially in the leafy village my parents live. It is currently upside down so the northern hemisphere are experiencing their Spring and warmer weather as we cool down in southern Oz. This means the countryside is green and full of foraging promise, if you know where to look you can eat very well in the English countryside.

We decided to harvest some nettles and use them in a delicious Wild Nettle Pie that we had for a dinner and following lunch. If you don’t have nettles on your doorstep you can use a kg of any bitter greens, such as kale, silver beet, chicory, nettles and spinach to make this pie or a combination of different leaves.

We put our gloves on and hand picked heaps of the veg to turn into something special. Stinging nettles might seem like a garden foe, but they are a hidden gem for the kitchen, offering a vibrant, earthy flavor that sits somewhere between spinach and cucumber with a distinct peppery finish. Once blanched, cooked or dried their famous “sting” is completely neutralized, transforming them into a versatile leafy green packed with iron and vitamins.

Just remember when preparing nettles, wear rubber gloves, as any contact with your skin will cause itchiness. If harvesting from the wild, use only the young shoots and tops of nettles, they must be cooked beforehand (or dried) to remove the stinging element.

We used some feta marinated in a light chilli olive oil but you have lots of options. Use feta in olive oil from a jar or fresh or you can use goats’ cheese (marinated or fresh) or even grated cheddar. You can substitute for fresh ricotta or use a combination of cheeses depending on your taste or what you have in the fridge.

This pie was so worth it and so delicious, we used store bought filo for ease but of course you can make your own!

Don’t forget to have a look on your doorstep next time you are out, you never know what you might find for dinner.

The Recipe…