Ramps, the ephemeral wild onions that chefs love and which appear only in the spring, give this pasta a lovely garlic flavor. When ramps aren’t in season, Justin Smillie uses elephant garlic—the bulb, stem and flowers. Scallions also make a good substitute. Slideshow: More Amazing Spring Pastas Recipe from Food & Wine America’s Greatest New Cooks
Ingredients
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1 pound spaghetti
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter
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1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
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1/2 pound ramps or medium scallions, thinly sliced
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Kosher salt
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Freshly ground pepper
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2 or 3 Thai chiles, thinly sliced
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2 dried red chiles such as Calabrian, crumbled
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2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
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1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
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1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
Directions
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In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
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Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the ramps and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the fresh and dried chiles and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the lemon juice and the 1/4 cup each of pecorino and Parmigiano cheese.
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Add the spaghetti to the skillet along with the reserved cooking water and cook over moderately low heat, tossing, until the spaghetti is thoroughly coated, 3 to 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to shallow bowls and serve right away, passing additional Parmigiano at the table.
Suggested Pairing
Zesty, full-bodied Sicilian white.