Foraging is a wonderful way to engage with nature and the environment. You need to carefully hone your powers of observation to find edible plants in the wild.
Stinging nettle is my favourite weed by far. It has an incredible flavour and grows in abundance in the southern states in nutrient-dense soil. We have a couple of varieties of stinging nettle, but the one I use is Urtica urens. This variety is much fleshier and more flavourful than the type that tends to grow in Australia’s north (Urtica incisa). I look for areas around cattle in shady corners that aren’t directly exposed to sun. The darker, fleshier plants tend to have a better flavour and return a lot more for the work, which will become apparent once you start picking the leaves in quantity.
These little ricotta-based dumplings are effectively a ravioli filling without the pasta and a great way to use nettles. The dusting of flour becomes very important to hold them together, but they are supposed to be quite delicate, so do bear this in mind as you refine your technique. The biggest influence on the success of this recipe is the ricotta. Don’t be tempted to buy ricotta in a tub. The ricotta for this recipe must come from a basket, as any excess moisture will make these dumplings gluey from the flour.
The other foraged element used in this dish is what is known as wild onion, or three-cornered garlic. It’s a much more invasive weed than the nettle and has become more and more prolific in the past five years in regions where nettles grow. This plant is much harder to use in quantity than the nettle, but I still do like to use it, as the flavour is subtle and onion-like.
Be aware of the surroundings and growing environment when picking plants in the wild, and whether herbicide has been recently sprayed. Nettles will commonly grow around waste and stagnant water, so be careful to avoid any possible contamination.
Dining and Cooking