Last Friday we mentioned that this Spaghetti with Ramps recipe from Mario Batali looked like our kind of weekend eating. So, we made it — with a few (delicious) changes...
Recipe Review: Spaghetti with Ramps (Plus Sausage)
We had some hungry meat eaters on hand, so we added some sweet Italian sausage, which definitely altered this recipe from a simple, spring vegetable pasta into something more substantial. The ramps had to share the spotlight, but they were still lovely and green with a mellow onion flavor.
To make our version of this recipe, we crumbled half a pound of fresh sausage into the pan with some olive oil and added the ramp bulbs when the meat was about halfway cooked through. Then we proceeded with the rest of the recipe, adding the ramp stalks and red pepper.
One tip: When you drain the spaghetti, reserve some of the cooking water. We added around half a cup at the end, when we tossed the pasta and the other ingredients, to pick up some of the sausage bits from the pan and help coat the pasta.
We also added big shavings of parmesan, which we highly recommend.
Here's the original recipe:
Spaghetti with Ramps
Related: NYC Greenmarket Report: Ramps and Asparagus!
(Images: Elizabeth Passarella)
Comments (6)
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Huh. I was about to make this very dish tonight, having scored some ramps at the Grand Army Plaza market this past weekend. Your sausage tweak makes me wonder if I should toss in a little pancetta I've got on hand. And I agree parmesan is a must! I like to dice up the root end into small pieces, like you would with scallions, and caramelize them a bit with some minced garlic prior to adding the leaves.
view ay's profile
I made this last night, only used whole wheat pasta instead of regular spaghetti.
I used 2 tablespoons of chili flakes, which was a bit much. Otherwise, fantastic.
view skittlbrau's profile
ay- I think pancetta would be great in this. And I like the idea of dicing the ramp bulbs so they get a little more caramelized- sounds like a good weeknight dinner! enjoy.
view Elizabeth P's profile
Well, ramps aren't available here in my part of eastern Washington, but I wonder if I could make this with the leeks I got in my CSA box . . . can anybody here comment on how the flavor of leeks compares to that of ramps? I read someplace that ramps have a stronger taste.
view STH's profile
They're pretty close.. not as intense as scallions, but a little more flavorful than leeks. I definitely saute leeks into pasta often - certainly a more economical version of this dish. And pancetta sounds like a great combo too! For an added burst of sweetness and texture, i've been tossing in fresh-shaved corn right at the end of cooking, just to take off the raw bite but retain it's fresh crispness.
view cheflaura's profile
Elizabeth P, I saw they like to dice up the root ends of the ramps at Blue Hill. They had such a proliferation of ramps this spring that they oftentimes used them in place of shallots.
I made the dish last night, sans pancetta (not feeling the meat after a yoga class). I kept the bulbs intact, as Mario does in the video, diced up the stems with some garlic, and added the leafy greens at the end once the first three parts were caramelized. YUM. Be sure to keep some of the pasta water for deglazing the pan and for some extra moisture. A tiny splash of red wine vinegar didn't hurt either.
view ay's profile