Garlic Scape Pesto

I have a confession. I have never had pesto before. I remember once as a kid mixing a a ton of dried basil and oil and trying to eat it on toast. It was not pretty and I haven't had pesto since.

One of the first recipes that caught my eye this week from my CSA was garlic scape pesto. Garlic scapes are a young tender part of the plant that would turn into garlic eventually. But for a short window you can pick them and eat them. And tbat's what I did.

It's ok if you have never heard of them before. I hadn't either. I had never even seen them before.



The garlic scape pesto made for a good lunch. The flavor was bright like cilantro with a mild garlic flavor. I could have added more salt but for a first time try, it was good.

Ingredients:
1 cup garlic scapes (about 8 or 9 scapes), top flowery part removed, cut into ¼-inch slices
1/3 cup walnuts
¾ cup olive oil
¼-1/2 cup grated parmigiano
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Directions:
~Place scapes and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until well combined and somewhat smooth. Slowly drizzle in oil and process until integrated. With a rubber spatula, scoop pesto out of bowl and into a mixing bowl. Add parmigiano to taste; add salt and pepper. Makes about 6 ounces of pesto. Keeps for up to one week in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

~For ½ pound short pasta such as penne, add about 2 tablespoons of pesto to cooked pasta and stir until pasta is well coated.

recipe available here