The infusion made from dried nettle leaves is a very pleasant drink, very easy to prepare and with countless beneficial effects for our body. Nettle, as we know, is a spontaneous weed that, despite the stinging hairs on its leaves and stems, hides a treasure trove of active ingredients used for both culinary and medicinal purposes (in the past it was also used in textiles). In the field of medicinal preparations, it is indicated for cases of iron deficiency, as a digestive aid, as a vasoconstrictor, and much more. Since we are not on a medical site but on a cooking blog, we will focus on the use of nettle exclusively in the culinary field and, specifically, as an infusion, although it can be used to flavor and make risottos, soups, stews, pesto, and so on.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 1 Minute
- Portions: 1
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 8.5 oz water
- 1 tablespoon nettle cut for infusion
- to taste honey (optional)
Steps
Dried nettle leaves in “infusion cut” can be purchased at herbalists.
1) We heat the water until it becomes boiling.
2) Before it reaches a boil, we turn off the heat, then add the nettle, cover to prevent the volatile beneficial substances from dispersing, and let it infuse for 10 minutes.
Do not boil the nettle with the water, as it would lose many of its vitamins and minerals.
3) After the infusion time, we filter and sweeten to taste. We will obtain a pleasant dark green drink that can be consumed hot or cold throughout the day.
Extra Idea. If you like preparing infusions, here you will also find a laurel and star anise one, very fragrant, delicious and, just like the nettle infusion, not only very pleasant and refreshing, but with countless beneficial properties for our body.
