Trofie, also called trofiette, is a Ligurian pasta made with just flour and water—no eggs. The squiggly little twists make a particularly good vehicle for pesto because it nestles into all those little crevices. The Nettle Pesto is lighter and less herbaceous than traditional basil pesto, making this an easy first course.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　Kosher salt

　　12 ounces dried trofie

　　1/2 cup Nettle Pesto (recipe follows)

　　Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

　　

Nettle Pesto

Kosher salt

　　4 ounces fresh nettle tips

　　3 cloves garlic

　　3/4 cup pine nuts

　　1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

　　

Step 1

Set a pot of water to boil over high heat. Add a small handful of salt. Add the trofie and cook for 1 minute less than the package directions say. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid.

　　

Step 2

Toss the pasta with the pesto and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Divide among 4 shallow bowls and top each serving with a little grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

　　

Nettle Pesto

Step 3

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and prepare an ice bath. Add the nettles to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes, then plunge immediately into the ice bath to stop the cooking. Remove the nettles and squeeze very dry. Chop finely.

　　

Step 4

Combine the nettles with the garlic, pine nuts, and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the oil in a steady stream until you have a uniform, thick paste. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese.

　　

Step 5

This recipe makes much more than you’ll need to serve four. If you top the pesto with a sealing layer of olive oil, it should last for 2 or 3 days in the fridge.

　　Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen