Rampin' It Up

Thanks to Eileen, I had some glorious spring ramps to use up a couple weeks ago. I had never tasted these green creatures but after reading all the hype in the blogosphere I was very intrigued!

I tossed the tasty ramps in with a simple springy recipe for tortellini, thus amplifying the "spring" factor by at least tenfold.

Served with homemade ciabatta (I promise I'll post that recipe one day...), this easy weeknight pasta dish was perfecto.

Tortellini with Peas, Prosciutto, and Ramps

adapted from Food Network

1 lb your favorite tortellini

2 tbsp olive oil

4 oz prosciutto (or pancetta, or ham, or whatever), finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch (5-6) ramps, red/white parts chopped, greens sliced into about 1-inch pieces

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 cup heavy cream (I used half and half, any difference wasn't noticeable)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil (the recipe calls for parsley but I was out)

1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Cook the tortellini per package directions. 2 minutes before done, add the peas to blanch. Drain and set aside, reserving the pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the prosciutto and cook until crisp, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, the ramps, and the tomato paste; stir and cook for about 1 minute. I also threw in some red pepper flakes at this point. Add about 1 cup of the pasta water and simmer until reduced by half, 3-4 minutes. Add the cream and simmer until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add the tortellini and peas, tossing to coat with sauce. Add more pasta water if necessary. Stir in the basil, then serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.