Stinging Nettle Pesto

1. Place hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until toasted, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Wearing gloves, add nettles to boiling water; cook until nettles are tender and still maintain the bright green color, about 2 minutes. Immediately transfer to a colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Let nettles cool and drain.

3. Place the nettles in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze excess water from the greens.

4. Combine nettles, hazelnuts, Parmesan cheese, and salt in a food processor fitted with a puree blade. Pulse a few times before turning the processor on. Stream olive oil through the feeding tube while the processor is running until pesto is smooth.

Cook's Notes:

Nettles can be found at farmers' markets. In a pinch, you can substitute dandelion greens or spinach.

When storing extra pesto, place in a covered container and cover the surface with a layer of olive oil.

When making nettle pesto pasta, reserve 1/4 cup pasta cooking water and stir in a couple of tablespoons of the pesto mixture. It makes for a creamier pasta.