Ramson or wild garlic (Allium ursinum) is a fantastic plant with a depurative, antiseptic, anti-asthmatic and hypotensive properties.
But more important (at least for me) the ramsons leaves are edible; they can be used as salad, spice,boiled as a vegetable,in soup, or as an ingredient for pesto.
I didn´t know this plant before but some days ago a colleague brought me some leaves and it was love at the first taste.
Ramson is a bulbous plant, herbaceous, perennial, erect not very tall, with white flowers and broad leaves, delicate and silky. It grows in deciduous woodlands with moist soils. And this is where we found it, under the trees in a big big colony.
We recognized this plant from the white flowers and when we where closer we didn´t have any doubt, the scent is unmistakable, it is pure fresh light garlic.
But be careful because ramsons leaves are easily mistaken for poisonous and possibly deadly plants.
A good means of positively identifying ramsons is grinding the leaves between one’s fingers, which should produce a garlic-like smell.
Pesto
(ingredients for 2):
- 50g ramson leaves
- 70-80 g parmesan cheese
- 30g di “pecorino romano” cheese
- 10g nocciole pelate
- 20g mandorle pelate
- Extra vergin olive oil
Pound the wild garlic leaves with a little pinch of salt and almonds pulse in a food processor.
Add the hazelnuts and pound again. Then add the half of the parmisan.
Stir gently and add olive oil. Keep adding a bit more cheese or oil until it will be creamy and with a good balance between the flavors.
Taste for the salt.
