Wild garlic – green like the color of the year

Please no kiss after eating wild garlic! There might only be one exception, if both choose the same dish. Wild garlic is now growing in the woods. Wild garlic flavors the dishes with a special twist. It is a great ingredient also for salads, sauces or dips. Pasta dough with a hint of wild garlic is unbeatable. The leaves should be used carefully otherwise the other ingredients will be dominated by the garlic flavor.

Wild garlic pasta with tomatoes and spinach

For the dough, combine 250 g or 8 oz. of flour, 1 tbsp. of olive oil, 1 tsp. of salt, 0.5 cups of lukewarm water, 150 g fresh chopped spinach leaves and 10-12 chopped wild garlic leaves. Knead well. The dough should be soft and humid. When finished sprinkle with flour and wrap the dough into a foil.  Allow to rest for 1 hour in the fridge.

Chef’s Handyman, Wild Garlic Pasta

Knead the dough and form small loafs. Cut them into small pieces. Then roll the dough by hand into long lines.

Roast the cherry tomatoes in the oven at 200°C or 400°F for 20 minutes.

For the spinach, heat olive oil with 2 chopped wild garlic leaves in a huge pan. Add the spinach. Close the pan with the lid. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Season the spinach to taste with salt and black pepper. Remove the pan from the heat.

Cook the pasta lines in hot salt water until al dente. Drain the water. Heat olive oil in a non- sticking frying-pan. Add the pasta, the spinach and the tomatoes. Season the mixture with salt, pepper and chili flakes.  Sprinkle the pasta with olive oil and serve them on plates. Garnish with the herbs.

Shopping list for the wild garlic pasta with vegetables for 4 serves: 250 g or 8 oz. flour, 1 tsp. salt, 0.5 cups water, 300 g or 10 oz. fresh spinach, 12-14 wild garlic leaves, salt, chili flakes, black pepper, 1 bunch thyme, 1 bunch oregano, 1 bunch rosemary, 2 baskets cherry tomatoes, olive oil.

Bon appetite, enjoy the wild garlic pasta, yours Chef’s Handyman team.