Ramp Pesto Pizza

Hey...it's been a while. I've been pretty busy...

Prepping for PD day.
Grading midterms.
Writing half of approximately five blog posts and failing to finish any of them.
Making and eating several fabulous recipes, but failing to take photos.
Listening to Common Core ELA Standards Webinars.
Being called out by Pickle Juice Guy for drinking beer while listing to Common Core ELA Standards Webinars.
Knitting away on a sweater (and finishing it!).
Making grad students cry.
Don't worry.
I'm back now.

And I have ramps.

I actually thought I wasn't going to have any ramps at all.

I slept in on the first Greenmarket of ramp season. Big mistake. But it was so rainy and damp and gloomy, and my bed was so warm. Let's add to this that I hadn't slept past 7 AM in at least two weeks and I stayed up past 11 PM the night before (I know! The wild life of a New Yorker, right? Seriously guys, I can't stay up past 10 PM, even on weekends. It's probably why I was single for so long...at least one person I've dated has listed "You're a morning person" as a reason for breaking up with me). Anyway, in my sleep deprived state I convinced myself that none of the other yuppies in the Brooklyn yuppie-foodie mecca where I reside would want to get out of bed either, even if there had been the promise of ramps at the market that week.

As I'm sure you have guessed if you have even slightly better prediction/inferencing skills than the second graders at my school (CCNYS ELA Standard RL/RI.1), this was just not so. Everybody gets up early for ramps. Everybody except, apparently, this girl.

I went up to the stand that said they would have ramps, looked at the table and noticed there were none left.

"I guess my theory that everyone else would sleep in today too and I'd still get ramps was wrong, huh?"

"Yeah, I'd say so," the farmer/forager said, eyeing his table that was empty except for some buckwheat sprouts.

"Oh well, I guess I'll need to get up earlier next week," I said, feigning cheerfulness (Can you tell I've been planning a unit about adding dialog to narrative writing?--that's CCNYS ELA Standard W.3b) . So I can continued along my merry way, buying my produce and Black Pepper Parmesan Sourdough (!!) from Hot Bread Kitchen. I'm going to assume it's my three blog posts on the subject that brought the bread back. Yes, I'm that important. And more than five people read my blog--oh, just let me have my moment, will you?

I make my last stop at the egg stand, and the farmer from the stand that was selling ramps walks up to me and says, "At the cooking demo stand she's doing a demo on ramps and eggs. You can't have eggs without ramps," as he drops a bunch of ramps in front of me on the table.

"Really? What do I owe you?"

"Nothing. Just promise me you'll get up earlier next week."

Obviously I'm going to bed by 8:30 on Friday.

Best. Day. Ever. (and nicest farmer ever). Plus I got to go see Joy the Baker with The Divine Mrs. D. Apparently Joanne was there too. Judging from the picture she posted on her site, I couldn't have picked her out of the crowd even if I tried. Cute, chunky plastic glasses frames and leggings aren't really things that make one stand out in Williamsburg. Plus I didn't stick around long because I was too afraid that I'd say something embarrassing to Joy and left without getting my book signed. That and they were having a HUGE sale at the kitchen store and I wanted to go stand in front of the Kitchen Aide mixers and debate the merits of lugging one home on the G train (or if calling a car service would negate the savings), and then, you know, not buy one.

Anyway...the pizza. Ramps and other delicious spring things. I'm a big fan of egg on pizza. And, as the man said, you can't have ramps without eggs. (Brooklynites, brunch pizza at Fornino is heavenly). You'll note that the recipe calls for two eggs. That's if you and another person intend to eat this pizza the same night it's made. Since I was eating a portion and bringing the rest for lunch, you'll notice that the pictures only have one egg. In lieu of egg, I might do sauteed mushrooms.

This post has been submitted to Hearth and Soul Blog Hop.

Pizza with Ramp Pesto
Pesto recipe inspired by Food52 

Your favorite pizza dough (I've been using this recipe, halved, but if you're not a sourdough person, this one is the best)

1 bunch of ramps
1 small handful pecans
1/3 c Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 to 1/2 c olive oil

8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced or torn
a small handful finely shredded spinach
chopped oil cured black olives
2 medium-ish eggs

Preheat the oven to 475, rack on the bottom, pizza stone in the oven (no pizza stone? Inverted baking sheet works quite well).

While the oven is heating and the dough is rising, make the pesto: Wash the ramps well and chop them roughly. Combine the ramps, nuts, Parmesan, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Turn on the food processor and drizzle in the olive oil (you may need to stop the processor and check the consistency). Taste and adjust seasoning. Add a bit of lemon juice if desired.

Roll out your dough. Top with some pesto (see the picture for about how much--you'll have plenty left to toss with pasta tomorrow night), then the cheese, then the spinach and olives. Transfer your pizza to the pizza stone (I generally use parchment, but if you're good at the whole cornmeal dusted peel thing, go for it). Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the crust is beginning to turn golden.

Remove the pizza from the oven, crack the eggs on top and using a fork, spread the whites around a bit, careful not to break the yolks. Bake for another 3-5 min, or until the whites are opaque.

Makes One 9ish inch pizza