Eggless Fresh Ramp Pasta

First you need to blanch the ramp leaves. Fill a medium sauce pot with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring it to a boil. While it’s coming to a boil get a bowl filled with ice water ready.

When the water comes to a boil drop in the ramp leaves and boil for about 30 seconds or until they turn bright green. With a kitchen spider or slotted spoon pull ramps out of the boiling water and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Leave them in there for a minute or two then drain them.

In blender add the drained and cooled ramps and ½ cup water. Blend until smooth.

Add both flours and salt into your food processor. Pulse until combined. With processor on low slowly pour in 1 tablespoon olive oil and the ramp/water mixture. Pulse until the dough forms a ball. You can adjust now if the dough is still dry, only add 1 spoonful at a time.

Turn dough out on a floured (use semolina flour) surface and knead dough until totally combined and dough is smooth. Cover dough with a sheet of plastic wrap and let dough rest at least 15 minutes or store in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Rolling out the pasta: Cut dough into 4 pieces and keep the sections that you aren’t using covered with plastic wrap. This dough will dry out quickly. Also have a tea towel ready for drying out the pasta or if making ravioli have a sheet pan floured with semolina.

Flour 1/4 of the dough with semolina and roll it out to the shape of a rectangle. Fold the rectangle in thirds and repeat. Do this three times to work the dough. You can also do this with a pasta machine. If using a pasta machine just fold the dough and run it through the pasta machine starting with the widest setting. I have a pasta machine but still roll it out by hand. I roll the long strips of rolled out dough and then cut it into strips (whatever size width pasta you want) and lay it out flat on tea towels to dry. You can hang it over a cabinet door to dry but I have dogs so I can’t. Repeat with the rest of the pasta.

Cooking the fresh pasta: Fill a large stock pot ¾ of the way full with water and add a nice bit of salt. The water should taste like the sea. Bring to a boil, add pasta to boiling water, reduce heat to simmer and cook 2-5 minutes. This cooking time really depends on the thickness of your pasta. Cook to your preferred level of tenderness. Be careful not to over cook.

Have your sauce ready and waiting for your homemade pasta!

This recipe will make 48 ravioli or one pound of cut pasta.