So now that you’ve learned what ramps are, how would you go about using them? An easy and simple way to incorporate ramps into your dish is in the form of pesto. Keep scrolling for two variations!
| Ingredients | Misc en Place |
| 2 cups, Sautéed Ramp Tops 1 tsp Tomato Paste | 1. Once your ramps are clean, heat a little bit of oil in a pan and add tomato paste. Mix the paste into the oil then add your ramp tops. Sauté the tops on high heat and remove quickly. Char is preferable. Let cool. |
| 1 Garlic Clove | 2. We used a clove from our fermented garlic honey. You can just use a single close of raw garlic. Give it a quick chop and set aside. |
| 8 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese | 3. Mise en place the rest of your ingredients. You want to make sure everything is measured out and set aside to be processed together. |
| 2 Large Pinches Red Pepper Flake | 4. Combine all of your ingredients in a food processor and pulse until your pesto comes together. |
| 1 Lemon Zested | 5. Taste your pesto and adjust the seasoning if needed. |
| 1 Cup Lemon EVOO (or regular) | * the purpose of the ice water is to make sure your greens remain as vibrant in color as they possibly can. |
| 4 Tbsp Ice Water | * the water also helps emulsify your pesto a little which helps break it down initially. |
| 2 tsp Salt |
Once you’ve processed your ingredients into pesto, make sure to taste your product and readjust the seasoning. Leave it less salty if you tend to season your dishes heavy. If you prefer to season your pesto well, keep that in mind when you go to use it. You might want to salt your pasta water a little less.
Next i jarred up 2/3 of my mixture. The last 1/3 i ended mixing with equal parts ricotta. I wanted to have a pure ramp pesto and also something i little mellower in flavor that i could spread on toast or mix into cheesy butter noodles.
ENJOY!
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