Mike’s Nettle & Blue Cheese Tart

Conversations about food and wine are never absent from the table when we are in the right company. Recently we dropped into one of our favourite wine bars in Athens for a glass (or two) of wine. By the time we walked out, Michalis, the owner, who shares a strong attachment to nature and all its bounty, had unloaded a bundle of fresh nettles upon me.

Mike, as we know him, is an energetic and creative character, always looking to do or try new things. This is a guy who talks with unbridled passion and enthusiasm about his love of wine, his roots and his family, particularly the womenfolk who spoil him with food when he visits. This is also a guy who loves a challenge.

I had never cooked nettles before, so the challenge was mine. Nettles are healthy little buggers that blend in well in omelettes, soups or even risottos. Nonetheless, as I have been obsessively experimenting with savoury tarts throughout the winter, the nettles, too, were doomed to perish in the bottom of a crispy tart base. After all, here’s an underrated, wild winter green that can replace spinach and does not require much fuss. The only difficulty is avoiding their nasty sting, but don’t let that stop you. A wise man, Thomas Fuller, once said: “He who is afraid of every nettle should not piss in the grass”.

Here’s the finalised recipe named in honour of the nettle donor, The Greek Bearing Greens, and that was mentioned in my former blog post Winter Foraging in Greece. The basic shortcrust pastry works fine for me. No doubt, pastry wizards out there will come up with more elaborate options. Feel free to share feedback and/or improvements on my blog. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

200 gr flour

80 gr salted butter

chia seeds (a few spoonfuls)

water

Put the flour in a bowl and add the butter in small diced pieces. Crumble the two ingredients carefully using only your finger tips. Throw in the chia seeds and gradually add a few tablespoons of water till the dough starts to bind and finally roll into a ball-sized shape. When that is done place the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

After that time you can start rolling out the dough. I like to do it directly onto a sheet of grease proof paper. It may stick a bit but I can then just insert it straight into the tin. Trim the excess edges and prick the bottom with a fork. Then lay another sheet of grease proof paper and weigh it down with baking weights or old dried beans. Blind bake the crust till it is nicely brown and cooked through. Then remove from the oven and let it cool while you finish preparing the filling.

Filling:

a bundle of nettles, rinsed in water and vinegar then blanched

blue cheese (or feta)

1 medium sized onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, cut into slivers

grated parmigiano

hazelnuts or cashews (unsalted)- a handful, chopped

Pre-blanch the nettles for a couple of minutes. Drain and then chop them up in more bite-sized pieces. Saute the garlic and onion till soft, but not burnt. Throw in the blanched nettles and saute further over a medium fire another minute or so. Remove from the heat.

Once the greens have cooled down fill up the pastry case with them. Crumble the cheese with your fingers and sprinkle over the tart. I used blue cheese, but a strong goat cheese such as feta also works well. Grate some parmigiano over the tart and finally add some coarsely, chopped hazelnuts or cashews. Place the tin in the oven and cook further for at least 10 min till the nuts are nicely coloured. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving. (I ignored my own advice and ate it hot out of the oven with a light green salad for accompaniment. Typical.)

P.S. Keep any leftover blanched nettles for a healthy snack: boiled and served with a dash of olive oil, lemon and seasoning. Maybe a bit of feta on the side? The ultimate simplicity of Greek food.

P.S. again. I’ve picked up another Greek word: τσουκνίδa!