Nettles are not only an herb, but also one of the favorite products in the kitchen. As soon as the fresh nettles appear, we immediately rush to prepare aromatic nettles with eggs and cheese. And beer lovers remember those amazing baked meatballs with potatoes and nettles that we prepare every spring.
Picking nettles is not very pleasant because the nettle leaves are covered with fine hairs and when touched, these hairs release a stinging juice. Nettles are also used in many dishes and for making tea.
In the spring, when there is an abundance of nettles, it is good to prepare a dish, soup or eat it in the form of a salad. This is also the time when nettles can be dried and preserved for the winter when fresh ones are not available.
If you want to dry your nettles, it is good to pick them when the flowering begins. At that point the nettles contains many vitamins and useful substances.
How are nettles dried? The collected nettles are carefully rinsed and left to drain. Then the nettles are spread in a shady place. If you dry them in the sun, they lose a lot of the useful properties they contain. This place should also be airy.
You can cover the nettles with cheesecloth on top. When the nettles are completely dried, they are stored in paper bags and stored in a dry and airy place.
