Nettle Ravioli with Butter and Sage

06/09/2025

With the arrival of June and nature in full bloom, it’s not just flowers that flourish in the fields. There’s a plant often overlooked—if not outright avoided—that holds surprising culinary potential: nettle. Frequently dismissed as a pesky weed due to its stinging properties, Urtica dioica is in fact a remarkably versatile plant, used since ancient times not only for therapeutic and textile purposes, but also in the kitchen.

Native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, nettle grows wild along trails, at the edges of fields, in ditches and woods. This perennial herb can reach up to two and a half meters in height. Its serrated leaves, covered in tiny stinging hairs, serve as a natural defense—but inside those same leaves lies a treasure trove of nutrients and active compounds: vitamin C, iron, folic acid, flavonoids, and tannins. It’s no wonder the ancient Egyptians used it medicinally, and Roman soldiers are said to have used it to relieve joint pain.

Today, nettle is enjoying a well-deserved renaissance, thanks to its nutritional value and its versatility in the kitchen. It’s ideal for those seeking healthy, seasonal, zero-kilometer ingredients. Once harvested—carefully and with gloves, of course!—and gathered far from roads and pollution, nettle can be transformed into tasty frittatas, soups, risottos, or vibrantly green pestos.

But if there’s one dish where nettle truly shines, it’s as a filling for ravioli. Just ask our Cesarina Benedetta from Turin, who’s shared with us a recipe that beautifully blends simplicity and flavor—perfect for a cozy, authentic Sunday lunch with family.

Nettle Ravioli with Butter and Sage

A spring first course that combines tradition and delicate flavors

DifficultyMedium

Preparation time1h

Cooking time15m

Servings8

€

CostMedium

Ingredients

Ingredients for the pasta:
600 g all-purpose flour (type 00)
200 g re-milled durum wheat semolina
8 eggs
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Ingredients for the filling and dressing:
500 g ricotta
200 g nettles
70 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano PDO
Mint
Salt
Pepper
Butter
Sage

Method

For the filling:

Sift the ricotta, chop the nettles and about ten mint leaves (to taste).
Mix the ricotta with the grated Parmigiano, the herbs and mint, adjusting with salt and pepper.

For the pasta:

Mix 600 g of flour with 200 g of semolina and knead with 8 whole eggs, 1 tablespoon of oil and a pinch of salt.
Form a ball with the dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
Roll out the dough (1 mm thick) to obtain two rectangular sheets.
Moisten one sheet slightly with water and place small mounds of filling about 5–6 cm apart. Cover with the second sheet and press around the filling to remove the air.
Cut out the ravioli with a pasta cutter.
Boil the ravioli in plenty of salted water, drain them when they float, and dress with butter, sage, and a sprinkle of Parmigiano.

How to clean and cook nettles:

Since the stinging effect does not disappear immediately after picking, nettles must be handled with gloves (double-layer latex gloves are best for precision without the itch).
Pick the tops, separate the leaves from the stem and plunge them into ice water.
Boil lightly salted water, blanch the nettles for a couple of minutes, then transfer them to the ice water to preserve their bright green color. Squeeze and dry them: they are now ready to be used in various recipes. Don’t throw away the nettle cooking water: you can use it as a base for soups and risottos or drink it as a herbal decoction.