Recipe: Quick Pasta with Dried Morels and Fresh Ramps

And if these two good things are out of season already, or hard to find, then try dried mushrooms and leeks or scallions instead. In fact, I had to use dried morels myself.

Quick Pasta with Dried Morels and Fresh Ramps
2 servings

1-2 ounces dried morels, cut in half
1/2 pound pasta
Olive oil
1 small bunch wild ramps, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup white wine
Kosher salt and fresh-cracked black pepper
Fresh-grated Parmesan cheese

Put the morels in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit and steep for at least 10 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add a teaspoon of salt and the pasta. Cook according to the pasta package directions, then drain and toss lightly with olive oil.

Drain the morels, reserving the liquid that they steeped in. Set aside. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a very large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Toss in the ramps and cook for a couple minutes, just until they are hot and fragrant. Add the morels and cook over medium heat for several minutes or until hot. Add the stock, white wine, and 1 cup of the mushroom liquid. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the liquid is slightly reduced. Toss with the pasta.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, scoop into bowls, and heap cheese on top. Eat right away while still hot!

(Images: Faith Durand)

Seasonal goodness! Nice work!

posted by Dana McCauley on April 29th 2009 at 4:50pm
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I've never seen or eaten a ramp :(

posted by VeryDelishVeg on April 29th 2009 at 6:05pm
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Morels and ramps in one dish? Yes, please!

posted by Jodye on April 30th 2009 at 2:01am
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Ditto Jodye. I'm really enjoying the shift TheKitchn is taking, ceasing the reliance on recipes per se and instead promoting cooking by feel and building on past experiences.

You sometimes do book reviews -- any plans on tackling Ruhlman's "Ratio"? It might be right up your alley ...

posted by ArlingtonEric on April 30th 2009 at 7:40am
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Ramps are gone here now. :(

posted by katiewalker on April 30th 2009 at 9:15am
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Really, where are these mysterious ramps? I went to Green City Market last weekend in Chicago in hopes of nabbing some but no dice, no one had any. Anyone?

posted by any such name on April 30th 2009 at 12:20pm
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ArlingtonEric,

Cooking by feel is what the last three weeks of the Kitchen Cure is going to be all about - starting on Monday.

Actually, if you're on our email list, you know that today's email's email is about the morels and ramps that were gifted to me by surprise on Tuesday, and the pizza I made, by feel, from them. Faith and I were on the same page apparently!

If you don't get the email (sign up already!) you'll see it posted tomorrow at 1pm.

Cheers!

posted by Sara Kate on April 30th 2009 at 12:21pm
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this looks delicious! and love the ida of ramps morels.

i posted a pasta with ramps and creamy parm recipe on ChowMama today that uses a similar ingredients list, minus morels and with an egg that turns the parm into a creamy sauce. also made it with whole wheat pasta (that's what was on hand), and it was great. who knew?!

thanks for this recipe! will ramps still be at the market this weekend?!

posted by StacieB on April 30th 2009 at 7:11pm
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Wow, this looks delicious! Morels are pretty much my favorite food ever.

Would it be a good idea to add anything to this dish for protein? Maybe beans or tofu or something? I'd be curious to know what people think, as I rarely have the energy to cook multiple dishes on weeknights. Or could this be a meal in itself?

posted by graefix on May 4th 2009 at 2:31pm
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