Ramps Ravioli with Morel Mushrooms

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Ravioli della Cipolle Selvatiche con i Funghi della Spugnola Ramps Ravioli with Morel Mushrooms

You may recall that I visited my Zia last May and returned to Chicago with a number of recipes to share. Though it may have taken a while, today’s post is the last of those recipes, even if not quite what I had planned.

I had a devil of a time finding ramps this past Spring. My normal vendor didn’t harvest any and I was always just a bit late with my other sources. (Evidently ramps, like porcini mushrooms, are in big demand by the area’s restaurants.) Surprisingly, at the very end of the season, my fishmonger had some for sale. I bought up what he had, hoping that they would “keep” the 4 days before I left for Michigan and they did — kinda. Upon my arrival at Zia’s, I unwrapped the ramps, only to find the leaves to be a wilted, soggy mess. I quickly discarded them and kept the bulbs. This meant I would need something green for my ravioli and Zia and I decided fresh spinach would make a nice substitute. My attention now focused on the morels.

Known to but a few, there is a place near Zia’s home where morel mushrooms grow. Living 400 miles away, it is purely a matter of luck for me to be present when the pock Old Morelmarked fungi appear. Nonetheless, everyday I trotted out to the morel patch to see if anything had sprouted and everyday I returned home empty-handed. On the 4th day I gave up. Having had an inkling that this might happen, I had brought a package of dried morels with me to Michigan and used them in today’s dish. By the way, I continued to check the patch everyday until I left and none ever appeared. I did find one morel, however, far past its “use by” date, growing right next to Zia’s porch. I left it alone so that its spores could work their magic. I’ll be back next Spring.

Now, I know that it’s a little late in the year to be posting this recipe, both ramps and morels being out of season, but I did promise to post it. If you wish to prepare this now, you can follow my lead and use dried morels — a far cheaper substitute — and you can use shallots instead of the ramps. No, shallots and ramps are not the same thing but the shallots are readily available year-round and you won’t be at all disappointed with the ravioli.

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Ramps Ravioli with Morel Mushrooms 2

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Ramps Ravioli and Morel Mushroom Sauce Recipes

Ingredients

For the Ravioli Filling

  • 1/2 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups packed, chopped fresh spinach
  • 1/2 cup ramps diced
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp sea/kosher salt, or to taste
  • 1/8 tsp pepper, or to taste
  • 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
  • 8 oz (226 g) ricotta cheese, well-drained

For the Sauce

  • 1/2 oz (14 g) dried morels, re-hydrated, liquid strained and reserved
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • t tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 new garlic bulb, diced
  • 1 to 3 oz of dry white wine
  • 1 cup mushroom soaking liquid
  • 3 thyme stems
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • salt & pepper

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Ramps Ravioli

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Directions

For the Ravioli Filling

  1. In a frying pan, heat the butter and olive oil over med-high heat. Add the spinach and sauté until cooked through.
  2. Use a slotted spoon to remove the spinach to cool.
  3. Using the same pan, sauté the diced ramps until translucent, remove from heat, and allow to cool.
  4. Once cooled, place the spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much liquid as possible.
  5. In a mixing bowl, add the spinach, ramps, nutmeg, ricotta cheese, Pecorino Romano, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
  6. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the cheese to firm, making it easier to work with later on.

To make ravioli using ravioli dies/molds, please click HERE to see an expert at work. There you’ll, also, find directions for cooking the pasta pillows.

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Three morels

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For the Morels “Sauce”

  1. In a frying pan, add the butter and olive oil over med-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 90 seconds.
  2. Add the morels and sauté for a few minutes, just long enough to give them a little color.
  3. Add the wine and sauté until all but gone.
  4. Add the mushroom soaking liquid and thyme and reduce until the consistency you like for the ravioli.
  5. Add the remaining butter and season with salt & pepper to taste.
  6. Use to lightly dress the ravioli prepared above.
  7. Serve immediately garnished with grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

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Ramps Ravioli with Morel Mushrooms 3

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Notes

Be aware that there are 2 types of mushrooms, known as false morels, that resemble morels but that are inedible. Do not go foraging for morels unless you know exactly what you are looking for. As is the case with all mushrooms, if in doubt, throw it out.

Morels should not be eaten raw. Stomach distress may result if they are not fully cooked before being eaten. Soaking them is not cooking them.

To re-hydrate morels, soak them in lukewarm water for 30 to 60 minutes before needed. Unlike most mushrooms, it wouldn’t hurt to first briefly hold them under running water to clear any grit that may be in the dimples.

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It’s déjà vu all over again …

Tomato and Bread Soup

Tomato and Bread Soup

This is the time of year when gardens in this area are producing tomatoes of all shapes, sizes, and colors. If you don’t stay on top of the situation, you’ll soon be swamped with ripe tomatoes — and that’s true even if you’ve an Evil Squirrel to battle. Today’s blast from the past is a delicious way to utilize the excess. In fact, the more ripe the tomatoes, the better the dish. Pappa al Pomodoro, is a delicious soup that could not be easier to prepare. Just click HERE to learn all about it.

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Tart Cherry Frozen Yogurt

Tart Cherry Frozen Yogurt

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200 thoughts on “Ramps Ravioli with Morel Mushrooms”

    • I’m not familiar with your perennial leeks, Celia, but they’re in the same family. If they’re mild, then I think they’d work nicely. None of the flavors in this dish are strong or “in your face.” As a result, you’ve got a well-balanced dish of ravioli. I hope you do give it a try. Good luck!

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  3. Bonjourno John! A beautiful dish and those closeups have me drooling. I am certain if my boys came over for a few days they would never want to leave. John’s homemade pasta and sauces they would think they died and went to heaven. I applaud you for knowing so much about mushrooms. I would never trust my own instincts to pick my own. I know that they might not be in season right now but I always book mark your recipes o I can come back later to give them a try. Have a super weekend. BAM

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    • Buona notte, BAM! Thank you so much and it would be great fun hosting your boys. They’d be making ravioli in no time! I really do not know that much about mushrooms and certainly won’t go foraging for them. I know puffballs and morels, no more and am too afraid to learn. Some things are better left to the experts especially when a mistake can have such dire consequences.
      I hope you’re having a great weekend, too, BAM.

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  7. I’m having a comment delay this week due to construction, but am loving this ravioli with morels. It is a truly beautiful ravioli dish and looks so earthy and rich. I hardly ever see ramps in a store here anymore. I’ve seen them on rare occasion in a restaurant, and I wonder why? The bread and tomato soup looks divine and I’ll have the soup as a starter, then the ravioli and the tart cherry frozen yogurt for dessert, please!

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    • Thanks, Betsy. I realize you’ve got a lot going on. I appreciate your coming here. There are parts of the country where ramps have been over harvested and shortages are occurring. Their popularity continues to grow and things don’t look good, unless they find a viable way to cultivate them. That tomato-bread soup is really quite good — and so easy to prepare. I can get you the soup and ravioli, no problem, but I fear you’re a few days too early for the frozen yogurt. How about an affogato, instead? Have a great week, Betsy, and I hope you can see steady progress — and no problems! 🙂

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    • Thank you, Mary Frances. I make the filling the night before and that might take an hour. It only takes a couple minutes to make the dough but it has to rest 20 to 30 minutes, though longer is OK. I usually make the dough before lunch and then Zia and I get to work once we’ve eaten.It takes a couple hours to complete. Understand that the first couple times you fill the die, it will take you a little getting used to. Once you get a rhythm going, you can fill the die 3 or 4 times in an hour. Depending upon the size, my dies will create 48, 24, or 12 at a time. Multiply those by 3 or 4 and you get an idea of how many ravioli you can create.
      I hope this is the info you were looking for. Let me know if I can be of further help. 🙂

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  9. Your Morel sauce looks wonderful! I have no experience using morels…and that is partly due to not daring to pick mushrooms that we’re unsure about! We should be able to find morels here in Finland.

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    • Thank you. If you can find them in Finland, you should be able to buy them at the markets, though they are very expensive. If you do go foraging for them, please be careful. There are 2 types of “false” morels that you want to avoid. Please do some research or, better yet, bring an experienced mushroom picker to be your guide. Good luck! 🙂

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  11. Not sure if I could get morels at our local market but I can only imagine the comments my kids would make about them! However, the tomato and bread soup is something that is right up our alley, bread, tomato and cheese – usually goes over well!

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    • Morels might be a hard sell to most kids. They aren’t the most appetizing mushroom to put on a plate. THis soup was very well-received when I was a boy and I think you’re right. You’re boys will love it, too. Good luck! I look forward to reading their reviews. They never fail to crack me up. 🙂

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  12. Wow this looks gorgeous! I’ve never been able to find ramps anywhere in Europe so I’ll have to try it with your suggested substitution of shallots!

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    • I highly doubt ramps can be found in Europe. As far as I know, they only grow wild in the eastern part of North America. I doubt if they grow in large enough numbers to be exported anywhere. I do think shallots would work, as would mild onions or leeks. Just make sure nothing too strong is used.
      Thanks for the visit and for taking the time to comment.

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  13. One day I’m gonna force you to invite me over and I won’t hesitate to put a gun on your head and I’ll nicely, politely ask you to cook me some Ramps Ravioli 🙂
    How absolutely mind-blowing they look! Lordy Lord! You’re a genius 🙂

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    • You are so kind and once again your comment has me grinning ear to ear. I would love to fix you a dish of ravioli, though it’s too late for ramp ravioli. They are a Spring dish. I’ll have to come up with something new for this time of year. How about something with Swiss chard (silverbeet)? Any suggestions?

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  14. Ramps and morels are impossible to find around here when they are in season as well. The restaurants seem to get most of them. I think you ideas for substitutions are good. Nice post.

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    • Thanks, Karen. I was surprised to learn that ramps are endangered in some parts of the East Coast. Over-harvesting is to blame, with some areas having increasingly popular ramp festivals. I fear one day they will be treated like morels, where people keep secret where the remaining ramps grow.

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  15. Nutmeg and spinach go beautifully together. Excellent pictures, CJ. My favorite is the filling laid out on the ravioli dough waiting to be covered and cut. I think of all the bloggers I follow, you’re the one I want to come cook for me every day. I’d just have to remember not to go back for seconds or thirds!

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    • That’s such a nice compliment to write, Kathleen. Thank you very much. Mom put nutmeg in a number of her dishes. My using it here was a bit of an homage to her memory. 🙂

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  18. It’s never too late to post a recipe; you’re just helping us be prepared for next year’s ramps and morel season. It’s a bit of a dilemma isn’t it; I find that by the time I develop a recipe and a post for whatever’s in season, usually the season is just about over. Oh well, that’s what archives are for! This recipe looks very good, and once again you’ve used an ingredient that I haven’t tried before, in this case the morel mushrooms. I can only imagine how good they must be. I definitely must pick some up (whether fresh or dried) and try them for myself.

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    • Thanks, Mar, for the comment and understanding. It seems I’m always behind, despite the best of intentions. I hope you do find morels but, I must warn you, fresh morels are quite expensive. Dried are good enough for me. 🙂

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  19. I know I’m late in commenting, but I wasn’t going to let this one slip by me. You know I would never miss one of your ravioli dishes. 🙂 I’m glad I saved it and I’ll be saving it for next morel season too. This was the first year I found morels at the farmers market and you can bet I’ll be looking again next year. They are fabulous! I’ve not ever had ramps before, so now they are on my list as well. This sounds like a great ravioli. Well, any ravioli sounds great to me, but this one especially. I’m glad you shared it with us – it’s never too late. 🙂

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    • Thanks, Kristy. It’s always a pleasure to find a comment from you, no matter when you write it. You can get morels at the farmers market? My mushroom guys don’t have them. I can get them at one of the supermarkets but they’re really expensive. I’m more excited about finding porcini mushrooms at the fishmonger. That guy has porcini, ramps, asparagus, and farm fresh eggs. He’s becoming my source for quite a few things besides seafood. I hope you do try this ravioli recipe and enjoy it as much as Zia and I did. That was a great meal! 🙂

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  20. Hope next season, you get to harvest more of these divine tasting mushroom. Once again your culinary magic shine deliciously dish after dish. Just had breakfast but now I can’t wait for lunch after seeing you creation. Have a great week.

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    • Thanks, Amber, and the spinach did work pretty well. I’ll try again next year. I’d like for my Zia to see and taste the entire ramp. I just have to figure out a better way to keep them.

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    • Thank you. That’s very kind of you to say. I hope my timing is better next Spring so that I can harvest some morels. They’re always such a nice surprise.
      Thanks for the visit and for taking the time to comment. I want to take some time to explore your blog. I like what I’ve seen thus far. 🙂

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  25. Pingback: Lemon, Chili and Ricotta Ravioli and Mushroom and Tomato Ravioli | Chica Andaluza

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