This simple spring pasta recipe is all about using what’s fresh and as local as possible. Many of the ingredients have easy substitutions for other, more in season or local ones, depending on where you live and when you’re cooking. Instead of shrimp, try squid. No ramps? Perhaps spring onions. Even different types of nuts and citrus can be used, depending on the flavor profile you’re going for. This recipe is just a guideline and its ingredients are what happened to be fresh and available at the time.
Spring Pasta
May 21, 2022
: 6
: 30 min
: 30 min
: 1 hr
Ingredients
- 1 pound large wild shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to tase
- Sweet Spanish paprika, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓ pound ramps, leaves and bulbs halved, stems chopped, separated
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 6 ounce walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 1 pound pasta, cooked (we used orecchiette, but penne, malloreddus, or similar varieties will do)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Basil, for garnish
Directions
- Step 1 Lightly season shrimp with salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Step 2 Heat a tablespoon of the oil over medium high heat in a large saute pan. Toss in shrimp and brown on one side, about 1 minute. Turn and brown on the other side. Remove shrimp and reserve. When cool to touch, chop into thirds.
- Step 3 Reduce heat to medium, add remaining tablespoon of oil, and toss in the ramp stems and bulbs. Sprinkle with salt and stir occasionally until translucent. Remove ramps and reserve.
- Step 4 Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until blistered and a sauce begins to form. Add garlic, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine, stir a few times, and reduce until the wine has almost evaporated.
- Step 5 Toss in the walnuts and ramp leaves and stir until the leaves are wilted, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Step 6 Mix pasta, reserved shrimp, reserved ramps, tomato mixture, and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. When serving, garnish with basil, Maldon, red pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.
