I’ve been spending the past week perfecting this recipe and I think I finally landed on the best version. Unfortunately, we keep eating them faster than I can take a photo, so I will update the recipe with one soon.
While it’s unusual to find nettles this early in the year, I came across some at the farmer’s market and had to scoop them up. They’re more of spring green, but with this unusually warm winter we’ve been having in Sonoma County, they’re already making their debut.
Nettles are a favorite among herbalists. They’re known for being rich in vitamins, minerals, and iron and are deeply nourishing to the body. From supporting the urinary system and kidneys to strengthening the digestive system and liver, nettle is an herb you want to keep close.
Because it’s a mild diuretic and alterative, it helps to flush the body of acidic toxins relieving eczema, gout, gravel in the kidneys, and rashes. This can be especially helpful to remove excess dampness that accumulates in the body after a wet and cold winter.
Since I had such a nice-sized bunch, I added some into a soup and needed to use up the leftovers, so into flatbread dough they went. Blanching fresh nettles or cooking them is key since they’re covered in tiny stinging hairs called trichomes.
If you’ve ever been intimidated by making flatbreads at home, you’ll love how simple this recipe is. I first came across it about a year ago, from King Arther Flour, and have been using it ever since. You only need a few ingredients and it takes about 20 minutes from start to finish to make. Plus—10 minutes of that time is simply letting the dough rest.
Now, I know fresh nettles might not be available where you live right now, so feel free to use freshly chopped herbs instead. You can use about 1 cup of fresh herbs like parsley, dill, or cilantro and there’s no need to blanch them like the nettles.
I would also toss them into the dough as you mix all of the ingredients together vs topping the dough with them before tossing them into the skillet.
You can serve the flatbreads alongside a soup or stew, or they could be a meal on their own. Top them with pesto, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, and a handful of arugula and you’ve got a delightful lunch or dinner.
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