Best Ramp Pesto Recipes

CREAMY RAMP PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Set aside an ice-water bath in a medium bowl.
• Blanch the ramp leaves in boiling water for 15 seconds. Remove with a spider or slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into the ice bath. Drain the leaves and dry on a kitchen towel. Tops should be bright and vibrant green in color.
• Add the blanched leaves to a food processor with 1/4 of the ramp bulbs and stems, plus the lemon zest and juice, the pistachios and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Pulse to finely chop, and stream in the olive oil until the pesto comes together into a thick sauce. Taste and, if desired, add more bulbs and stems, a few at a time, then add salt to taste and pulse to combine. (Reserve the remaining bulbs and stems for use in dressings, sautéed vegetable dishes or eggs.)
• Place the ricotta or mascarpone in large mixing bowl.
• Salt the pasta water and cook pasta about 1 minute less than package directions for al dente. Just before draining, remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and add to the ricotta or mascarpone to soften and loosen the cheese. Add the ramp pesto and stir to combine. Drain pasta, add to sauce and toss to coat. Transfer pasta to a serving dish or individual bowls, and top with a generous amount of pink peppercorn.

RAMP PESTO

Steps:

• Pulse ramps in a food processor until finely chopped. With motor running, pour in oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. To store, transfer pesto to an airtight container, pour a thin layer of oil over top, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

EASY RAMP PESTO

Steps:

• Combine ramp leaves, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor. Process until finely chopped. With the food processor running, add olive oil and process everything until smooth. Transfer mixture to a bowl and mix in grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt to taste.

RAMP PESTO SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Blanch greens from 4 ounces ramps (about a fistful) in a large pot of boiling salted water until wilted, about 10 seconds. Let cool in ice water; drain and squeeze out liquid. Return pot of water to a boil and cook 12 ounces spaghetti, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, coarsely chop 2 ramp bulbs and stalks (save or pickle the rest) and 1/4 cup toasted walnuts in a food processor. Add ramp greens, 1/3 cup olive oil, and 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino; process to a coarse paste. Season with salt.
• Toss spaghetti and 1/2 cup cooking liquid with pesto, adding more cooking liquid as needed until pesto coats pasta. Serve topped with more Pecorino and with lemon wedges.

SEARED SALMON WITH LINGUINE AND RAMP PESTO

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2/3 cup ramp bulbs and stems to skillet and saute just until soft but not browned, reducing heat if necessary to prevent browning, about 5 minutes. Transfer sauteed ramps to processor (do not clean skillet). Add green tops, cheese, almonds, and tarragon to processor; process until finely chopped. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup oil and puree until almost smooth. Transfer pesto to bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• * Can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Add salmon to skillet and cook just until opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.
• Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot; add all but 1/4 cup pesto and toss to coat, adding enough pasta cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among plates. Top with salmon. Spread remaining 1/4 cup pesto over fish and serve.

PASTA WITH RAMP PESTO AND GUANCIALE RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Cook guanciale, tossing often, until browned and crisp, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. fat from skillet.
• Add ramp bulbs to skillet; season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and tender, about 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blanch ramp greens in a large pot of boiling salted water until wilted, about 10 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water (save pot of water). Drain, squeeze out excess liquid, and coarsely chop.
• Purée ramp greens, ramp bulbs, half of pistachios, and remaining 2/3 cup oil in a food processor until very finely chopped. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan and process until pesto is almost smooth. Pulse in a little more oil if sauce is too thick; season with salt and pepper.
• Return reserved pot of water to a boil; cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
• Mix pesto, 1/4 cup pasta water, and butter in a large bowl. Using tongs, transfer pasta to bowl and add guanciale; toss vigorously, adding more cooking liquid as needed until pasta is glossy and well coated with sauce. Taste and add more salt if needed.
• Divide pasta among bowls. Top with more Parmesan and remaining pistachios.
• Pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto surface, and chill.

RAMP PESTO PIZZA WITH BROCCOLI RABE AND CURED MEAT

Steps:

• 1. Place your pizza stone or steel (if using) on an oven rack in the middle of your oven. If you plan to cook your pizza on a baking sheet, just place a rack in the middle of the oven (you do not need to preheat the baking sheet). Preheat the oven to 500°F (or the highest temperature your oven will allow, if using a pizza stone/steel) and let it heat up for at least 30 minutes while you make the dough and/or prepare the toppings. 2. To prep the toppings: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the broccoli rabe for 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately drain it in a colander and run it under cold running water to stop the cooking. Spread the cooled broccoli rabe on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. 3. In a food processor, combine the ramps, nuts, lemon juice, and salt. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, then, with the motor running, stream in the olive oil and process until smooth. Taste and add more salt or lemon juice as desired. 4. To stretch/roll out the dough: Place the dough on a clean work surface and, using your hands, gently stretch it into a 12-inch square or disk, making sure that it retains the same thickness throughout (more or less). If you want a thinner-crust pizza, dust the dough with flour and roll it out with a rolling pin. 5. If you're using a pizza stone or steel: Dust a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet generously with flour or cornmeal. Place the dough disk on the prepared peel. 6. If you're using a baking sheet: Spray the baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the dough disk on the prepared baking sheet. 7. To top the pizza: Spoon 1/2 to 2/3 cup pesto onto the dough and spread it out evenly, leaving a 1/2-inch border of dough all around. Arrange the broccoli rabe on top of the pesto in whatever pattern you like, then sprinkle on the cheese. 8. To bake the pizza: If you're using a pizza stone or steel, 10 minutes before you are ready to cook the pizza, increase the oven heat to broil. Slide the pizza from the peel (or inverted baking sheet) to the hot stone or steel using quick shimmying movements. Broil the pizza for 6 to 8 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese just begins to brown. Using the peel or inverted baking sheet, transfer the cooked pizza to a cutting board. If you are making more than one pizza, allow the pizza stone or steel to reheat under the broiler for 5 minutes before you cook the next one. 9. If you're using a baking sheet, do not increase the oven to broil. Place the baking sheet on the rack in the middle of the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese just begins to brown. 10. Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately arrange the cured meat on top. Let it rest for 5 minutes (the cured meat will melt on the hot pizza); slice and serve.

SEARED SALMON WITH LINGUINE AND RAMP PESTO

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2/3 cup ramp bulbs and stems to skillet and sauté just until soft but not browned, reducing heat if necessary to prevent browning, about 5 minutes. Transfer sautéed ramps to processor (do not clean skillet). Add green tops, cheese, almonds, and tarragon to processor; process until finely chopped. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup oil and puree until almost smooth. Transfer pesto to bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Add salmon to skillet and cook just until opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.
• Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot; add all but 1/4 cup pesto and toss to coat, adding enough pasta cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among plates. Top with salmon. Spread remaining 1/4 cup pesto over fish and serve.
• Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.
• **Tender Spanish almonds that are usually sold roasted and salted; available at specialty foods stores and natural foods stores and from tienda.com.

RAMP PESTO TOASTS

Steps:

• Blanch the ramp greens - boil a medium pot of water and submerge the greens for 10 seconds. Place directly into ice water bath. Drain and remove as much water as possible. Put both parts of the ramps into a food processor with the vinegar and salt. Add the olive oil, pepper flakes, and almonds. Grind until the pesto becomes smooth. Add the parmesan and mix just until combined. For ramp pesto toasts top toasted sliced french bread with whipped ricotta and then pesto.

PASTA WITH RAMP PESTO AND GUANCIALE

Steps:

• Preparation Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Cook guanciale, tossing often, until browned and crisp, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. fat from skillet.
• Add ramp bulbs to skillet; season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and tender, about 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blanch ramp greens in a large pot of boiling salted water until wilted, about 10 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water (save pot of water). Drain, squeeze out excess liquid, and coarsely chop.
• Purée ramp greens, ramp bulbs, half of pistachios, and remaining 2/3 cup oil in a food processor until very finely chopped. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan and process until pesto is almost smooth. Pulse in a little more oil if sauce is too thick; season with salt and pepper.
• Return reserved pot of water to a boil; cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente; drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
• Mix pesto, 1/4 cup pasta water, and butter in a large bowl. Using tongs, transfer pasta to bowl and add guanciale; toss vigorously, adding more cooking liquid as needed until pasta is glossy and well coated with sauce. Taste and add more salt if needed.
• Divide pasta among bowls. Top with more Parmesan and remaining pistachios.
• Do Ahead Pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto surface, and chill.