Recipe Rehab - "New" Pasta Primavera with Dandelion Greens, Mushrooms & Tomatoes

In this week's Meatless Monday feature we're experimenting with a new take on a somewhat tired Vegetarian Pasta dish:

Photo: NK

Primavera means spring in Italian, and nothing reminds me of the season like fresh produce. But Pasta Primavera the dish has quite the checkered history. It's actually an American invention, having nothing to do with Italy at all. Rumor has it that it was first served at Le Cirque in NYC. I don't know about you, but my experiences with Primavera have included limp Broccoli and Carrots in a woefully slimy, colorless sauce. Now you understand why we just had to make new! But first, do check out this brilliant and funny post from Poor Man's Feast on The Myth Of Pasta Primavera.

Our Primavera remake has received quite the zhuzhing. What's in it, you ask? Well, since I was thrilled to finally see nicely ripened Tomatoes at the market, they made the cut. I also set out to incorporate Dandelion Greens, an Italian favorite that has yet to gain wide popularity, in my recipe. Their slightly bitter, lemony quality really wakes up this dish. Finally, tender Oyster Mushrooms serve as the perfect sponge for all our subtle flavors, and fun Campanelle Pasta provides a worthy vehicle for this delicate yet hearty spring dish. 

Campanelle with Dandelion Greens, Oyster Mushrooms, and Tomatoes

Serves 2 

Oyster Mushroom, Photo: NK 

Ingredients:

1 Small Bunch Dandelion Greens, roughly chopped into bite-sized pieces

1/2 Pound Campanelle Pasta or other curly pasta

1.5 Tablespoons Salted Butter

2 large Cloves Garlic, finely chopped

1 Oyster Mushroom, about the size of a fist with its core cut off to release the petal-shaped mushrooms.
2-3 Large Vine-Ripened Tomatoes, chopped

1/3 Cup good quality Grated Parmigiana Cheese

1 teaspoon Grated Lemon Zest

1/2 teaspoon Salt plus more to taste

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method:

Blanch Dandelion Greens in boiling salted water for 1 minute. Drain in a colander and rinse again with cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside. 

Set a large pot of salted water to boil for the Pasta.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, melt the Butter. Add in the Garlic and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the Oyster Mushrooms and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until tender. 

Add the chopped Tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes. Tomatoes and Mushrooms should release a good deal of water which will become the basis of your sauce. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of Salt and the Lemon Zest. Stir and turn off the flame.

Once Pasta water is boiling cook Campanelle for about 10 minutes until almost cooked but still a bit firm. Drain, reserving at least 1/4 cup of the Pasta water.

Turn the heat back to a medium flame under the Vegetables. Pour Campanelle into the skillet and toss with the Vegetables. Add the Dandelion Greens to the skillet and stir. Add 2 or 3 Tablespoons of Pasta Water and allow liquids to bubble for about a minute, adding more liquid as desired until the Sauce thickens just a bit to the desired consistency. Turn off heat. 

Add the Parmigiana Cheese and toss through the Pasta. Finish with a generous sprinkling of Black Pepper. Taste for Salt and serve immediately. Enjoy! 

"New" Pasta Primavera with Dandelion Greens, Oyster Mushroom and Tomato, Photo: NK 

Ramps Revisited - Lemony Ramp Ravioli with Brown Butter + Basic Ramp Pesto

Ramps! Photo: NK

They're back....
That's right, Ramps! 

The culinary all-star of the veggie world has made its brief yet triumphant annual appearance at farm stands everywhere. 

To learn more about the illustrious Ramp, check out last year's post and some bonus Ramp Recipes HERE. 

This week, we are doing lots with these babies, and the best news is that all our recipes will be super easy yet impressive. Would you expect anything less? 

Let's start simple with Ramp Pesto, a super way to use Ramps but also, a way to extend their short seasonal window. Our Pesto is versatile, delicious, and freezes well. Use it as a sandwich spread (just you wait until we show you what we have planned for our next post) or as a traditional Pasta topping. No matter what you do, you'll love the fresh and garlicky character of these hard to resist greens.

Easy Ramp Pesto, Photo: NK

Simple Ramp Pesto
Makes about 1 Cup
Ingredients:
1 Small Bunch Ramps, roughly chopped (about 15-20 ramps)
1/4 Cup Walnuts
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
1/4 Cup Grated Parmigiana Reggiano
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon Salt


Method:
In a food processor, process Ramps until finely minced. 
Add Walnuts and process. 
Add Oil and process. 
Add Lemon Juice, Salt, and to finish, add Parmigiana Reggiano Cheese. Process well. 

Enjoy!


 
Next up, Lemony Ramp Ravioli with a Savory Brown Butter Sauce and Crispy Ramp topping. But how can Ravioli be easy and quick? Well, we're using a great shortcut that I first learned from Giada De Laurentiis -  Wonton Wrappers. That's right, while not authentically Italian of course, Wonton Wrappers are a great way to make Ravioli that is fast, easy, and delicate. Find them at Asian Groceries in the freezer section. Our Ravioli recipe highlights the garlicky Ramp while marrying it with the standard savory Ricotta filling. We took it one step further by mixing in a healthy dose of Lemon Zest (a nod to Amalfitana Ravioli from the Lemon-obsessed Amalfi coast). Finally, an easy two-ingredient Brown butter tops our little Ravioli with savory goodness. Crispy fried Ramp greens are the final flourish.  These Ravioli can be frozen in their uncooked state, just be sure to separate layers with wax paper or they will stick together. When ready to eat, you may boil them frozen, but they will take a few extra minutes to cook beyond the regular 4 minutes.

Lemony Ramp Ravioli with Brown Butter and Crispy Ramps
Inspired by Giada de Laurentiis, Mario Batali, and Adapted from Andrew Feinberg
Serves 6 as an Appetizer, 4 as a Main Course

Ingredients:
For Ravioli
36 Wonton Wrappers (preferably square)
1 Egg, beaten

For Filling
1 bunch Ramps, About 12 of them roughly chopped & ground into a fine mince using a food processor, another 10 Ramps -greens leaves only- reserved (for Sauce/Crispy Ramp Topping)

15 Ounces Fat Free or Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
1/3 Cup Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
2 Egg Yolks
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
1 Tablespoon Half and Half or Cream (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

For Sauce
1 Stick Salted Butter
10 Ramp Greens (see above) stacked and cut lengthwise into very thin strips

Method:
Create the Ravioli Filling by combining all filling ingredients.

In a small bowl, mix up the Egg Wash for sealing the Ravioli by beating one egg and adding some water (about a Tablespoon). 

Filling the Ravioli, Photo: NK

Lay out Wonton Wrappers on a clean surface. Place 1/2 teaspoon Ravioli Filling in the middle of each Wrapper. Dip a pastry brush in Egg Wash and paint around the edges of the Wrapper. 

Carefully fold the square Wrapper in half, creating a triangle. Use your fingertips to firmly press down on the dough to seal. Place on a baking sheet or other surface. Repeat until you've filled the desired amount of Ravioli. 

In a large Pasta Pot, boil salted water. Working in small batches (these Ravioli are particularly delicate), boil the Ravioli until done. Try to keep the boil at a gentle pace so Ravioli don't break. They should take only 4 minutes to cook. Carefully remove them to plates using a slotted spoon. Once plated, prepare the Brown Butter and Crispy Ramp Sauce.

In a medium sauce pan, melt 1 stick Salted Butter. Let it sit over medium heat until it starts to bubble and becomes a brown/golden color. Once browning, add the thinly sliced Ramp Greens and allow to crisp a bit. Lower heat if butter seems to be burning. Pour Butter Sauce over each plate of Ravioli and garnish with crispy Ramps. Enjoy!

Lemony Ramp Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce and Crispy Ramps, Photo: NK

Stay tuned for more Ramp Recipe madness later this week, and we recommend you get 'em while you can. Peak Ramp season is only about 4 weeks! 

Ramped Up - Spaghetti with Ramps, Breadcrumbs, & Poached Egg

Since foraging is the new farming, I thought ramps would be a timely addition to NK's vegetable hall of fame. Not familiar with ramps?

Also known as Wild Leeks, ramps are a foraged green available for a very short period in early spring. A relative of the onion, they grow wild across the US, especially in the Appalachian region. In flavor, they are pungent and garlicky with both edible leaves and bulbs. For even more Neurotic Kitchen Ramp Recipes click HERE.

Ramps are also pretty attractive:

Ramps, Photo: NK

Like most pretty things, they become that much more alluring when they're hard to get. Said to be the earliest green of the spring season, the scarcity of ramps definitely adds to their veggie celeb status. If you look around this time of year, you'll surely see ramps popping up on farm-to-table menus everywhere. If you're lucky enough to have a good farmers market or gourmet produce shop, they're likely to show up during that fleeting window in early April. They have a cult following among chefs and at home cooks alike, as evidenced by this article about retailers price gouging for these sought after beauties: Price Gouging of Ramps! 


Still want more ramp edification? Check out this concise overview of Ramps, courtesy of the Organic Authority: All About Ramps


And this article from a few years back explores the reasons behind the popularity of Ramps, both with chefs and everyday gourmands - Time U.S: For Foodies, Ramps are the New Arugula

~Last April was my first ramp rodeo, and with this newly discovered ingredient, I decided to make Mario Batali's Spaghetti With Ramps. Ramps do well when simply prepared.  Their springy flavor is pronounced and definitely translates best to the palate with minimal interference from competing tastes. Mario's recipe was great, and in the subsequent weeks, I was inspired to buy up as many bunches of ramps as I could so we could enjoy them while they lasted. In general, ramps can be prepared in a similar manner as you would leeks or scallions. They taste fantastic when brushed with oil and simply grilled, or ground into a pesto, and even when pickled (an ideal way to make ramps last past their short seasonal window). Make ramps while the sun shines, I always say...

This year, I decided I would remake the Batali recipe with a few tweaks:

1 - Adding breadcrumbs to amp up the textural complexity of the dish.
2 - Adding a runny, poached egg, because, if you ask me, nothing is better than a runny, poached egg.


First, let's make our Pangrattato, or breadcrumbs. The basic way to make homemade breadcrumbs is simply to let a good quality loaf of bread go stale over a few days. From there, you can grate it on a box grater until you have the desired amount of crumbs. If you are looking for a time-saving option, most good bakeries package and sell their fresh breadcrumbs. It's Monday, so you can bet I will not be grating bread on my own...Short cut time.


Pangrattato with Thyme
Adapted from Jamie Oliver

Makes Half a Cup (Serves 4+)

Ingredients: 
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 cup Grated Bread Crumbs
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Thyme Leaves


Method:
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. 
Stir in breadcrumbs and thyme.
Fry for about 3 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown. Set aside.

Pangrattato Ingredients, Photo: NK

Golden Brown Pangrattato and Thyme, Photo: NK

Spaghetti with Ramps, Pangrattato and Poached Egg
Adapted from Mario Batali
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 Lb Dry Spaghetti
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 Ounces Ramps - white bulb ends cut off and green leaves cut in half or thirds & set aside.
1/2 cup Pangrattato with Thyme* (recipe above)
4 Farm Fresh Organic Eggs (free range if possible)
1.5 Tablespoons Red Chili Flakes (less if you like it not so spicy)
2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt 

Method:

Boil Water in a large pasta pot and add 2 Tablespoons of Salt. 

Cook Spaghetti according to package directions.
While pasta is in the water cooking, heat Oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. 

Meanwhile put water in another high sided frying pan and bring to a slow boil ( for the poached eggs)

Next, Add the white root ends of the ramps to the skillet and saute until tender.

Add a bit of salt and chili flakes. 

Next, add the ramp greens and sauté until totally wilted - at least 5 minutes. Test the ramps by tasting. They can vary between tougher or more tender. If they are on the chewier side you can continue to cook.

Wilting the ramp leaves, Photo: NK

Once pasta is done, drain and add it to the skillet with the ramps. Reserve a half cup of pasta water in case you need to loosen the pasta later.Toss pasta with ramps to coat and turn heat down to the very lowest flame.

Pop your eggs into the slow boiling water and poach (adding a drop of vinegar to the water will help keep the eggs intact). Yolks should remain very soft.

Finished Spaghetti with Ramps, Thyme Pangrattato and Poached Egg, Photo: NK

To plate: Divide pasta among serving bowls, top with breadcrumbs, and carefully slide the poached egg onto the top of each bowl using a slotted spoon.
Serve right away.

Runny Egg Deliciousness, Photo: NK

~Special thanks to my master egg poacher, Mr. NK. 


Buon Appetito! 

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