Description
This Ramp Pasta recipe is a vibrant and flavorful spring dish featuring a unique pesto made from wild ramps, pine nuts, fresh basil, and lemon. The sauce is blended to a creamy texture and tossed with perfectly cooked chunky pasta for a refreshing and aromatic meal perfect for ramp season.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound chunky pasta (such as fusilli, penne, or rigatoni)
Ramp Sauce
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 1 bunch of ramps
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup packed fresh basil
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
Optional Topping
- Grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the chunky pasta and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- Toast the pine nuts: While the pasta cooks, heat a small frying pan over low heat. Add the pine nuts and toast gently, stirring frequently, until they turn golden brown and become fragrant. Remove from heat.
- Cook the ramps: Remove and discard the ramp stems from the leaves. Finely chop the ramp stems and add them to the frying pan used for pine nuts. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes until softened. Add the ramp leaves and cook just until wilted, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
- Prepare the ramp sauce: Transfer the cooked ramps and pine nuts to a blender or food processor. Add the olive oil, fresh basil, grated parmesan cheese, garlic, sea salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Blend for about 30 seconds until the sauce is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Toss pasta with ramp sauce: Combine the ramp sauce with the reserved pasta water and cooked pasta. Stir thoroughly to ensure the pasta is coated evenly with the sauce. Serve immediately, topped with optional grated parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
Notes
- Ramps have a short season in early spring; fresh ramps work best for this recipe.
- If ramps are unavailable, you can substitute with a combination of garlic and green onions, though the flavor will differ.
- Toast pine nuts carefully over low heat to avoid burning and bitterness.
- The reserved pasta water helps loosen the sauce and helps it adhere better to the pasta.
- For a nut-free version, you can omit pine nuts but expect a different texture and flavor.
