Savory Wild Ramp Pesto with Anchovy and Pistachio

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Table of Contents

• A Bright, Green, Springtime Favorite
  •                 Into the Wild: Foraging for Ramps and Crafting a Spectacular Ramp Pesto with Anchovy and Pistachio
    • Embark on your own culinary foraging adventure with this Ramp Pesto recipe that celebrates the essence of spring. Foraged ramps, with their wild, oniony-garlic flavor, take center stage in this vibrant pesto, accented by the salty punch of anchovies and the rich, nutty crunch of pistachios. Whether you've foraged ramps yourself or sourced them locally at a farmers market, this recipe honors the spirit of the season and the joys of connecting with nature's bounty in early spring.
      • Experience the unique flavors of spring with this ramp pesto recipe. Gather your ramps vegetables, anchovies, and pistachios, and let's create a dish that celebrates one of the season's first bounties.
      • How to Store Ramp Pesto:
• Ramp (Wild Leek) Pesto with Pistachio and Anchovy
  • Ramp Pesto
  • Ramp, Wild Leek "Garlic Bread" Recipe
  • Ramp Pesto
  • Ramp, Wild Leek "Garlic Bread"

A Bright, Green, Springtime Favorite

Introducing a vibrant blend of flavors, this Ramp Pesto with Anchovy and Pistachio adds a savory twist to your favorite dishes. The pungent ramps, also known as wild leeks, combined with salty anchovies and rich pistachios to create a pesto that’s both bold and filling . Spread this ramp pesto on French bread for an interesting twist on garlic bread, toss it with pasta, or use it as a flavorful marinade—the possibilities are endless with this versatile wild ramp condiment.

Photo Credit: The Sifted Field

                Into the Wild: Foraging for Ramps and Crafting a Spectacular Ramp Pesto with Anchovy and Pistachio

Foraging ramps is a delightful way to connect with nature and gather fresh, flavorful ingredients. Follow these steps to responsibly forage ramp plants:

1. Know When and Where to Look: Ramps (Allium tricoccum) typically emerge in early spring, usually in April or May, in wooded areas with moist, rich soil. Look for them in forests with deciduous trees, often near streams or in shady, damp spots.

2. Identify Ramps: Ramps have broad, smooth, bright green leaves that resemble lily of the valley but with a strong onion or garlic smell. They also have a bulb, which is white and often tinged with pink or purple.

3. Harvest Responsibly: Only harvest ramps where they are abundant and avoid taking more than you need. Use a small trowel or knife to carefully dig around the base of the plant, being mindful not to damage the bulb or roots. By pulling the plant out by the roots, you remove the whole  plant and inadvertently damage next years harvest, as the patch will diminish over time.

4. Clean and Store Ramps: Once home, gently clean the ramps to remove dirt. Trim off the roots and any damaged parts. Store them in the refrigerator wrapped in a damp paper towel or cloth for up to a week.

By foraging ramps responsibly, you can enjoy their unique flavor while preserving these wild plants for future years worth of foraging harvests.

Embark on your own culinary foraging adventure with this Ramp Pesto recipe that celebrates the essence of spring. Foraged ramps, with their wild, oniony-garlic flavor, take center stage in this vibrant pesto, accented by the salty punch of anchovies and the rich, nutty crunch of pistachios. Whether you’ve foraged ramps yourself or sourced them locally at a farmers market, this recipe honors the spirit of the season and the joys of connecting with nature’s bounty in early spring.

Photo Credit: The Sifted Field

Experience the unique flavors of spring with this ramp pesto recipe. Gather your ramps vegetables, anchovies, and pistachios, and let’s create a dish that celebrates one of the season’s first bounties.

Try this recipe out today! I really enjoyed this pesto toasted up on bread, the green color from the ramps was vibrant and oh so seasonally green and the taste fresh, garlicky and little spicey. See recipe below for the pesto recipe and further below for my take on “garlic bread” with a ramp leave substitute for the garlic!

How to Store Ramp Pesto:

This recipe will keep for 1 week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

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Ramp (Wild Leek) Pesto with Pistachio and Anchovy

This ramp pesto is a versatile condiment that can be used in many savory dishes. Anchovy adds an umami note and pistachio nuts add a slight crunch to the green hued sauce. Ramp pesto is a great way to showcase wild leeks during their short harvest season.

Here I showcase the pesto oven toasted on Italian Bread.

5 from 1 vote Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins Total Time 7 minutes mins

Course Condiment Cuisine American

Servings 6 Calories 784 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Ramp Pesto

• 12 Ramp leaves
• 1 Cup Olive Oil Extra Virgin
• 1 Fillet Anchovy
• 1 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese Grated
• 1 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 3 Tbsp Pistachio Nuts Shelled, Unsalted

Ramp, Wild Leek "Garlic Bread" Recipe

• 1 Loaf Italian bread

Instructions

 

Ramp Pesto

• Combine all ingredients in blender
• Add pistachios to food processor and pulse until nuts are roughly chopped.
• Place remaining ingredients in food processor and pulse until all items are combined and finely mixed.
• Ramp Pesto will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Ramp, Wild Leek "Garlic Bread"

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• While oven heats, slice Italian bead in half, leaving a top half and bottom half.
• Slather pesto evenly across both sides of the bread loaf.
• Place on pan and bake, face up for 15-22 minutes
• Slice into smaller pieces, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 6servingCalories: 784kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 8gFat: 65gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 34gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 300mgPotassium: 212mgFiber: 4gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 631IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 3mg

Keyword foraged ramp sauce, pesto, ramp, wild leek Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

#condiments #food #foraged #foraging #garlicBread #howToUseGreenRamps #pesto #rampsVegetable #recipe #sauce #wildLeeks #wildRamps

Foraged Feast: Ramp Vegetable Ricotta Calzone with Zucchini and Kale

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This homemade calzone recipe is great way to utilize foraged ramps in a classic recipe. Filled with gooey, salty ricotta cheese, and veggies; this foraged feast: ramp vegetable ricotta calzone with zucchini and kale is a great way to introduce ramps onto your dining room table.

If you have come upon a bunch of wild leeks either foraged in the forest or found at a local farmers market, this recipe is perfect for showcasing the versatility of this tender leafed member of the allium family. Ramp plants are easily sliceable while packing quite a dose of heavy flavor  that yields a beautiful green color to anything its baked, sauteed or marinated into. The culinary uses for wild ramps are boundless and this recipe is one of the many ways to showcase the fleeting, seasonal flavors of the allium family.

Photo Credit: The Sifted Field Photo Credit: The Sifted Field

This calzone is best cooked on a pizza stone, but if you don’t have a pizza stone, you can use a sheet pan as well. This calzone recipe using premade pizza dough is easy to quickly bake up during the week and leftovers are great to bring for lunch.

Kale and Zucchini are loaded with vitamins  and minerals adding tons of nutrients to this delicious oven made meal. Ramps have many savory, culinary uses. The below recipe is a quick way to add foraged ramps to a family meal and aa great introduction to the flavor of wild leeks and the many possibilities in the kitchen for its uses.

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Wild Leek, Ramp Ricotta Cheese and Zucchini Stuffed Calzone

Capitalize on the short ramp foraging season with this easy recipe for a calzone stuffed with the garlicky flavors of freshly picked ramp leaves. Ricotta cheese is whipped up with spices and "wild leeks" as some call it in this yummy recipe.

5 from 1 vote Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins Cook Time 40 minutes mins Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course dinner Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4 People Calories 167 kcal

Equipment

• 1 pizza stone

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 bag Premade Pizza Dough
• 1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
• 3 tbsp Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese grated or coarsely chopped
• 5-7 Ramp Leaves
• 1 medium Zucchini
• 5 leaves Lacinato Kale pulled off stems and chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• tomato sauce for serving optional
• 10 1 bunch Basil Leaves

Instructions

 

• Place stone in oven (if using one) and preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, if you are using a pan instead of the pizza stone, you can wait to put put pan in until calzone is assembled.
• While oven heats take dough out of refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
• Stack ramp leaves on top of one another and roll into each other, then slice into thin ribbons, (chiffonade). Do the same to the basil leaves, slicing the herbs into fine ribbons.
• Mix ricotta, parmesan and ramps in a medium bowl until fully incorporated and thoroughly combined. Set aside.
• Cut top and bottom of zucchini off. Slice into thin pieces, halving the slices into 2 if desired. I like to keep them whole and long.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out pizza dough into a circle.
• Layer the kale and zucchini on to one side of the dough.
• Then spread ricotta mixture over evenly and sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Fold over and seal edges of calzone by pressing the dough together.
• Transfer the calzone onto the waiting hot pizza stone in oven or baking pan and slide into oven. Brush with olive oil.
• Bake for 40 minutes or until the calzone is browned and the cheese is bubbling.
• Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing, serve along side chunky tomato sauce for dipping.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 167kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 9gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 198mgPotassium: 236mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2175IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 265mgIron: 1mg

Keyword calzone, cheese, pizza dough, ramp recipe Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

#baking #calzone #cheese #cooking #dairy #food #forage #foraging #rampPlants #ramps #rampsVegetable #recipe #spring #wildLeeks #wildRamps