Nasturtium Flower Pasta

This Nasturtium Flower Pasta is the perfect quick easy recipe for when the nasturtium flowers are in full swing that you and your family will love. The sauce is simply blended then added to freshly cooked pasta, its creamy, slightly peppery and full of nutritional and medicinal benefits.

Nasturtium is one of the most versatile weeds and I absolutely love her rambling ways, taking over areas of the garden, climbing up and over fences and neighbouring plants, but we needn’t worry as she dies off as the summer heat takes over. Its fresh leaves and flowers are great chopped up into salads for a peppery note similar to cress or wild rocket or used as a parcel wrap in place of cabbage, I often use a nasturtium leaf to hold all the ingredients on my toast or get the kids to pick a couple for their round rice crackers, as they are the perfect round shape and size.

The leaves can be cooked down and used in place of spinach or silverbeet, cooking it reduces the pepper flavour. I love to add nasturtium greens to my Green Goddess Dip, Weedy Green Soup, Weedolata, Weedchi, Weed Pesto’s literally anything that you would add leafy greens to.

The flowers are beautiful and come in array of colours from burgundy to cream, the most common being orange and yellow. They make a delicious pasta sauce and lend themselves perfectly to decorate or garnish savoury dishes, I like to cut off the base to let the petals free to sprinkle along with the base of the flower is the most peppery part. In the spring time the nasturtium pods develop and these make a delicious foraged caper substitute.

 They are rich in Vitamin A and C also providing minerals like iron, potassium and manganese. A natural antibiotic, antimicrobial, antibacterial, antifungal and immune bosting, they also contain antioxidants and flavonoids and are rich in carotenoids such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and β-carotene. They are used to treat respiratory infections and UTI’s. Avoid if pregnant.

Nasturtium Flower Pasta

~New Recipe~

Vegan | Gluten-free

Serves 4

400g dried pasta shapes of choice

1 tsp salt

4 cups nasturtium flowers

1 1/2 cups ricotta or soaked cashews

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast

2 cloves garlic

1 whole chilli, optional

1 whole tomato

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Zest and juice of 2 lemons

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/3 cup pasta water

1 bunch asparagus, ends snapped off

4 tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch of salt

Pinch of black pepper

1/3 cup grated parmesan or hemp parmesan

1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped

Gather your ingredients and put a large pan of water on a high heat. Once the water has come to the boil add the salt and pasta. Cook the pasta for 8 minutes until just cooked. Meanwhile add the ricotta or soaked cashews, nasturtium flowers, parmesan or nutritional yeast, garlic, chilli, tomato, olive oil, lemon and pasta water to a blender and blitz till smooth. Add the asparagus to the pot with the pasta 2 minutes before the end of cooking time. Empty the pasta and asparagus into a colander in the sink, remove the asparagus quickly cool slightly under cold running water. Put the hot cooked pasta back into the pot and add the sauce and stir together. Leave to sit while you slice the tomatoes and season with salt pepper and second measure of olive oil along with the asparagus. Transfer the pasta and sauce to a bowl, top with the asparagus, tomatoes, parsley and parmesan plus a few extra nasturtium flowers and leaves then serve.