Put on a pair of thick rubber or gardening gloves to safely handle the fresh stinging nettles.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and prepare a separate bowl of ice water.

Carefully drop the nettles into the boiling water and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes to completely remove their sting.

Using tongs, immediately transfer the blanched nettles into the ice water to stop the cooking process and lock in their bright green color.

Once cooled, drain the nettles and use a clean kitchen towel to firmly squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible. Roughly chop the nettles.

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and fragrant, then set aside to cool.

Add the chopped blanched nettles, fresh wild garlic leaves, toasted pine nuts, grated parmesan, and lemon zest to a food processor.

Pulse the ingredients several times until they break down into a coarse, textured paste.

With the food processor running on a low speed, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir in the lemon juice, and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Spoon the pesto into a sterilized glass jar and pour a thin layer of olive oil over the surface to keep it fresh. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.