The last of my ramps have faded, and now I’m looking for a source for more. A recent comment alluded to bags for a buck in West Virginia. Though there was no indication of size, I’d wager they trump the small bunches available at markets around the District. Maybe this Saturday I’ll hit pay dirt. Or perhaps it’s soon time for a motorcycle ride out to the mountains John Denver called home.
For now though, I’ll ruminate on the dish that made use of the last of my precious ramps. A quick blanch technique keeps these beauties clean and bright with a freshness that’s accented with a generous amount of lemon zest. The resultant pesto is then folded into the pasta over heat, with cheese and pasta water to form a light sauce.
Spaghetti and Ramps
- Active time:25 min
- Start to finish:25 min
- 1/2 lb ramps
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan
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Accompaniment:
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Trim roots from ramps and slip off outer skin on bulbs if loose. Blanch ramps in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, 2 to 3 seconds, and transfer to a cutting board with tongs. Coarsely chop ramps and put in a blender with zest and oil.
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Add spaghetti to boiling water and cook a few minutes, then ladle out 1/2 cup pasta water and add to blender. Purée ramps until smooth and season with salt.
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Continue to cook spaghetti until al dente, then ladle out about 1 cup additional pasta water before draining spaghetti in a colander. Return pasta to pot with ramp purée and toss with parmesan over moderate heat 1 to 2 minutes, thinning sauce with a little pasta water as needed to coat pasta.
