RAMPS ARE IN SEASON! If you’ve never tried them, please check out your local farmer’s market or health food store and try to find them, because they are delicious. Why all the fuss? Ramps are a type of wild onion and they have a unique garlicky onion taste to them. They grow wild here in the northeast and a lot of local growers have started to produce them. And they are just really cool because there is a sense of adventure to them because they are usually foraged. It’s like the less cool version of foraging for truffles. And they just look awesome.
Last year when ramps were in season I didn’t know what to make of them. I’d never had them before and so I just treated them like a scallion, as in like a garnish. And while you certainly can treat them like that, the flavor is so unique that they really deserve to be the star of the plate. So this year I’m trying to make as many interesting dishes as I can with ramps.
This was one of my favorite recipes to photograph too. As I said before, they just look really cool! This was one of those shoots that I did in a hurry, didn’t even bother with a tripod, just threw things together…and it totally worked. It’s so nice to have that happen after struggling with a tricky dish (looking at you failed coconut macaroons).
So here’s to Spring! One of my top four seasons 😉
Rotini with Ramp Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 Bunch of Ramps 2 Cups Chopped
- 1 Clove Garlic Minced
- 1/4 Cup Walnuts
- 2/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 Cup Ground Parmesan Cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
- 8 Oz Rotini Pasta
Instructions
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In a blender combine ramps, garlic and walnut and pulse until coarsely chopped.
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Add 1/2 Cup of olive oil and blend until smooth.
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Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the remaining olive oil. Blend until smooth.
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Transfer pesto to a serving bowl and mix in cheese.
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Make pasta according to directions, cook until al dente.
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Combine pasta and pesto, top with cheese and enjoy!
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