As mentioned above, if you can find ramps, you won’t be sorry. If it’s one of the months of the year when finding them is impossible, scallions (green onions) or baby leeks work very well. I’ve used both, and it’s a matter of taste. The scallions will have a more pronounced onion flavor, while the leeks will be more mild.
This dish makes a fantastic first course for a multi-course meal. The Italians generally start with a salty bite (see yesterday’s post), then the pasta course, and the on to the main course of meat of some sort (that’s tomorrow!). And of course, no meal is complete without a sweet finish, which we’ll get to as well. This pasta is just enough for that first course and gets your guests going with the full wine dinner experience. Fantastico!