We are fortunate to have wild garlic that produces lots of flavorful leaves and flowers. Also known as ramsons, its scientific name is Allium ursinum — ursinum referring to bears that are said to dig up the bulbs.
This dish pairs simple pasta and a light tomato sauce with homemade ricotta blended with wild garlic. It’s an easy recipe that looks and tastes impressive without much effort.

Make the ricotta a few hours before serving; the rest of the recipe comes together quickly. The quantities below serve about four.

Wild Garlic and Homemade Ricotta Pasta Recipe

Ricotta

Ingredients

2.27 L (4 pints) whole milk (semi-skimmed works too, but yields slightly less and a milder flavour)
100 ml distilled white vinegar or white wine vinegar (or lemon juice)
Salt to taste

Method

Pour the milk into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan so you can stir without spilling and heat without burning.

Warm the milk over medium heat until just below boiling (about 75–90°C). Stir gently to prevent the milk catching on the bottom. Heating to the right temperature helps the proteins denature so the milk will curdle properly.

Remove from the heat, add the vinegar or lemon juice and stir to combine. The milk will begin to split into curds and whey.

Stop stirring and allow the mixture to cool. When cool, strain through a sieve, colander or cheesecloth and let drain for about an hour.

The solids left in the strainer are your ricotta; season with salt to taste. Expect roughly 250–500 g of ricotta depending on the milk’s protein content. The leftover liquid (whey) can be used in baking bread or biscuits.

Tomato Sauce

This sauce is kept simple so it complements, rather than competes with, the ricotta and wild garlic.

Ingredients

1 large onion, finely chopped
2 x 400 g tins chopped tomatoes (or about 1.5 kg fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped)
A handful of dried tomatoes, chopped if large (optional — dehydrated cherry tomatoes work well)

Method

Gently fry the onion in a little olive oil until soft and translucent.

Add the tomatoes and dried tomatoes, then simmer gently until the sauce has reduced to a light coating consistency, about 30–45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Wild Garlic Ricotta

Ingredients

Homemade ricotta (prepared above)
A small bunch of wild garlic (Allium ursinum). Be certain you have correctly identified wild garlic; if unsure, consult a trusted field guide or an experienced forager.

Method

Thinly slice the wild garlic into 1–2 cm strips.

Gently fold the sliced wild garlic through the ricotta until evenly distributed. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Assembly

Cook your chosen pasta until al dente, drain and return to the pan.

Toss the pasta with enough tomato sauce to coat it evenly.

Portion the pasta into serving bowls and finish each plate with a generous dollop of wild garlic ricotta.

Buon appetito!

My recipe first appeared in Permaculture Magazine. I have updated some details after further experimentation. Please make sure to forage responsibly and refer to reliable guidance when identifying wild plants.