It's ramp season, y'all! Today, I'll show you how to make ramp carbonara. Like clockwork, ramp mania ensues every spring, bringing flocks to farmers' markets up and down the Northeast coast. Ramps, ramsons, or wild leeks have a mild garlicky flavor and do so well anywhere you'd use an allium. Lucky for me, my dear friend Alexis brought me some foraged frames from upstate New York. What a treat! Enjoy this short and lovely spring season with an easy recipe for ramp carbonara.
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Ramp Carbonara Recipe
Serves 2 to 3 generously :)
6 to 8 ounces ramps
6 ounces thickly cut bacon (this was 4 slices of the Trader Joe's Uncured Apple Smoked Bacon) *If you have guanciale, even better! I'd use a bit less in that case, about 4 ounces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg, plus 3 yolks
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
12 ounces spaghetti (try to get a higher quality type extruded from bronze dies - helps the sauce stick much better)
1 to 1 1/2 cups reserved pasta water (you likely won’t use this full amount)
Prepare the ramps: Separate the white bulbs from the leaves. Chop the bulbs; set the whites aside. Roughly slice the leaves; set the green leaves aside.
Prepare the bacon: Cut bacon slice in half lengthwise and then chop into 1/4-inch pieces.
Heat water in a large pot over high heat.
To a medium or large pan, add the bacon, chopped white ramp bulbs, and extra-virgin olive oil. Turn the heat to medium-low and let the fat slowly render from the bacon (the extra-virgin olive oil will help this process along, especially if the bacon is more lean). Cook and stir occasionally.
To a large bowl, add the 1 full egg plus 3 yolks, saving the whites for another use. Add the grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together. Set aside.
When the pasta water is about to boil, add plenty of salt. Once pasta water gets boiling, add your pasta and cook to al dente, according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, add the green ramp leaves to the pan with ramp bulbs and bacon. Add salt and pepper. Cook and stir occasionally, raising the heat to medium, until bacon gets a bit crisped around the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes (about as long as the pasta takes to cook).
When the pasta is done, remove with tongs (the residual water is okay) to the pan with ramps and bacon. (If you're not removing pasta this way and instead using a colander, be sure to remove about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of pasta cooking water). Toss the pasta with the bacon and ramps. Turn off the heat.
Add the pasta to the large bowl with the egg-cheese mixture. Combine well. Start by adding 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water and mix vigorously until you get a silky sauce (if it looks dry, add another 1/2 cup of pasta water, one tablespoon at a time). Season with salt and lots of pepper. Serve immediately.
#rampcarbonara #rampitup #ramps
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