Spring Pasta
Grown-up butter noodles with ramps & anchovies
If parenting has taught me one thing, it’s that butter noodles are always a good idea. A soothing balm at the end of a long day and somehow appropriate at almost any hour.
Maybe it’s this week, or maybe it’s just this season of life, but things have felt a little insurmountable lately. (I think this video from Amil captures the vibe perfectly) . I’ve been trying to pay closer attention to the tiny gifts that come with the changing season — lilacs are doing a lot of heavy lifting these days — and when I spotted ramps at my local market, I knew I had to bring some home and make a little treat for myself.
Instead of getting too technical, I decided to make a grown-up version of butter noodles: a quick, comforting spring pasta for an easy dinner. You could absolutely add peas, shrimp, asparagus, or whatever you have on hand, but I also love the simplicity of this recipe exactly as it is.
Enjoy!
Spring Pasta
Serves 2
Ingredients
5 oz pasta of choice
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 preserved anchovies
1 bunch ramps
Zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp salted butter
Black pepper and pecorino, to serve
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the ramps for about 30 seconds, then immediately transfer them to ice water to stop the cooking. Gently squeeze out any excess water, finely chop, and set aside. This helps keep them bright green when sautéed later.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and anchovies in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until fragrant and the anchovies begin to melt into the oil. Add the ramps and sauté for another minute or two. If you like a little heat, add 1/2 tsp chili flakes here.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with the butter, lemon zest and a splash of reserved pasta water, tossing until glossy and well coated. Finish with plenty of black pepper, and pecorino to serve.