Pappardelle comes from the verb pappare which means “to gobble up.” Ramps, or wild leeks, have a strong flavor profile between an onion and garlic. This wonderful combination of flavors will indeed have you enjoying the pappardelle, as its name implies.
Ingredients
- 16 ounce fresh pappardelle or other pasta of your choice
- 1 pound fresh oyster mushrooms cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 ounce fresh shiitake mushrooms cut into thin slices
- 1/2 pound ramps, cleaned, white stems chopped and green leaves cut in half (keep the stems and leaves separated)
- 8 ounce grated Parmesan
- 4 ounce unsalted butter
- 4 ounce extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup pangrattato or seasoned breadcrumbs
Instructions
Bring 6 quarts of water and 4 tablespoons salt to a boil on the stove top. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil until nearly smoking. Add the ramp stems and sauté until they just begin to brown. Add all mushrooms to the pan and cook for 3–5 minutes on med-low heat. Turn off the heat to the pan.
Once the water is boiling, drop the fresh pappardelle in the water for 3 minutes or until desired doneness is reached (or follow package directions for store–bought pasta). Reserve at least 1 cup of the pasta water before straining the pasta.
Once pasta is done, return the heat to the sauté pan and add ramp leaves and butter. Add the pasta to the sauté pan and a half cup of the reserved pasta water to start. Toss the pasta to distribute the ramps and mushrooms. If the pasta looks too dry, add the remaining pasta water to moisten the pasta.
The pasta should not be saucy, but should also not be dry and clumped together.
Add salt and black pepper as desired. Distribute the pasta among 4 bowls and top with grated Parmesan and pangrattato.
Recipe by Chef Jacques Larson, The Obstinate Daughter & Wild Olive
