SERVES 4
RAMPS CAN EASILY BE TURNED INTO pesto and compound butter to season risotto and pastas. In this dish, I celebrate the entire ramp, using the texture of their smooth leaves, their aromatic chopped stems, and their bulbs to turn the simplest plate of spaghetti into an explosive springtime meal.
¾ pound spaghetti
Salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
24 ramps, roughly chopped, whites and greens separated
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups spinach leaves, stemmed and washed
Small pinch dried basil
Small pinch dried oregano
Pepper
⅓ cup grated Parmigiano
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until just tender, then drain (reserving ¼ to ½ cup of the cooking water). Stir in a tablespoon of the oil.
While the pasta is cooking, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ramp whites and red pepper flakes and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the ramp greens, spinach, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook for about a minute more. Add the spaghetti, about ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water, and the cheese and toss to combine.