Green Onion, Ricotta and Toasted Walnut Sandwich

Whole wheat bread
Chopped red, green, and yellow peppers
Pea shoots
Baby spinach

Cheese mixture (makes 15 sandwiches) :
1lb. fresh ricotta
½ lb whole walnuts
1 large bunch green onions, flowers on the stalks a plus
½ red Fresno pepper, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Toast the walnuts in a skillet for about 5 minutes. Place in large mixing bowl and crush with a potato masher. Let cool while preparing the other ingredients.
wash and chop scallions
Add all the ingredients together and mix and mash at the same time with the potato masher. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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I made 15 of these sandwiches and received a couple responses.

Emily wrote that it was, “Best sandwich ever!”
Trevor passed on, “I just saw Esperanza and she told me to tell you that the sandwich was excellent.”

Today’s Lunchbox:

Stinging Nettle Pesto sandwiches with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, baby arugula (rockets!), and green bell pepper on Amy’s whole wheat bread.

The Mozzarella is from Tonjes Farm’s stand in the Union Square Farmers’ Market and is incredibly tangy and fresh. Of course, grass-fed cows, no antibiotics and no hormones are used. The farm has been a family farm since 1950. Mary Tonjes also runs a perennial nursery called Catskill Perennials

RECIPE:
Stinging Nettle Pesto

1 Bunch Stinging Nettles
3 Spring Garlic heads and scapes (the green part)
1 Cup toasted walnuts
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
2 Tbs. Olive Oil

Be careful when handling the stinging nettle. Actually, wear gloves or us a towel to handle the nettles. Rinse in a colander. Boil water in a large pot. Drop in stinging nettles and salt. Cook for 5-10 minutes until bright green. Drain but do not rinse.

Put everything in a food processor. Whir.

Nick’s Lunch Box: February 27, 2008, originally uploaded by ngolebiewski.

This “lunch box” is on GOOD Magazine’s Project Page online.