I had to fight Bernie Sanders supporters and hockey fans (the Islanders are in the playoffs) to get em but ramps are finally here and on sale at your local farmer’s market or fancy grocery store. Trendy? Sure, but also delicious and elusive and perfect in pesto. These tangy wild garlic-tasting onion things appear just at the end of winter so your only opportunity to make this alt pesto is right now.
Just make sure you use fresh pasta or very fancy imported from Italy tagliatelle pasta.
Tagliatelle with Ramp Pesto
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 small bunch ramps (about 8 stalks with leaves)
½ cup parmesan cheese (shredded is fine but I just cut off a 2×1 inch block)
½ cup pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
1 teaspoon water
¼ cup of the best damn olive oil you can find
2 servings fresh or dried tagliatelle
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile wash the ramps to remove all the dirt and cut off the white bases so you are left with pink stalks and leaves. Roughly chop the stalks and leaves and add to a food processor.
- Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Toast the pine nuts (dry, with no oil) for 3 minutes and remove from flame just as they start to burn.
- Add toasted pine nuts, parmesan, garlic cloves, salt, water and ½ the olive oil to the food processor and blend until smooth.
- Spoon pesto into a bowl and mix with remaining olive oil, salt and pasta.
I really like ramps. Try one of my other rampalicious recipes…
