Square Spaghetti with Kale, Pecorino, and Mint

Ortiche are nettles and, although they don’t sound like something you want to get near, let alone eat, the leafy tops are actually delicious and not uncommon in Italian cooking. I had the pleasure of tasting this sauce for pasta at a wonderful simple restaurant in Ancona called Osteria del Teatro Strabacco. Since the produce section of your local supermarket is unlikely to carry nettles, I experimented with possible substitutes and found that kale is a remarkably good stand-in.