Summery Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta

LESS THAN ONE DAY until we are in Italy for our two-year-belated honeymoon! (Actually, I am finalizing edits while drinking sparkly at the airport, hahahaha) I should say that I’ve been planning this trip for a while, but the truth is that it really came together all within the last month. Meanwhile, I’ve also been planning this “Summery Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta” blog post for about a month now (whoops), and it seems rather appropriate that I pulled it together riiiiiight before we leave for the birthplace of pesto.

Anyway, on to the garlic scapes! You might have seen them in the local farmers’ markets: they’re the spindly tops of the garlic plant that get cut off in order for the bulbs to mature into the dried clove form that you see all the time. When purchasing them, you should look for the smaller, thinner ones in order to ensure they aren’t too fibrous or tough. They have a milder taste than garlic cloves, and can be used a variety of different ways: chopped into omelets, grilled like asparagus, or processed into pesto (which of course is my personal favorite).

Thanks to my friends Alicia & Renato over at Local Food Rocks I got some really beautiful ones fresh from their garden! And then we all day tripped down to Westport Farmers’ Market which resulted in a reallyyyyy large accumulation of scapes.

I know: another pesto pasta post? Our summer schedule has been a hectic storm of social & family events, so “quick & easy (and relatively healthy)” has been our mantra. Luckily scapes hold up really well in the fridge, and they waited almost a month before I found a chance process them. Plus the added bonus of pesto is its wonderful ability to freeze well while still maintaining the bright summery flavor during the colder months when we miss the sun!

A couple weeks ago I visited the Danbury Farmers’ Market where I found this rainbow collection of super fresh “tomato-lings” as my husband called them. Plus I saw a bunch of fresh sweet corn and basil, and boom we were in business!

Not only was I inspired by all the fresh summer produce at the local farmers’ markets, but I also recently had a great experience at a Gluten-Free Connecticut event. So I found some chickpea pasta, cooked it extra al dente, and tossed everything into a warm pan to combine. This recipe is actually gluten-free and vegan (unless you choose to top it with a bunch of parmigiana-reggiano like my husband & I like to do)!

Okay, this post might have been a BIT rushed in the end. But I think you all will understand since I’ve been slightly sidetracked by my honeymoon. =) Next post will have better commentary, I promise… Until then: Buon appetito!

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Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta

Garlic scapes are the perfect way to bring a punch while maintaining volume: add as much or as little to your pesto as you'd like. What I love about pasta dishes like this is that you can choose to incorporate whatever fresh produce you have on hand.  I chose to incorporate fresh corn, zucchini, and tomatoes because they're at their peak.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

Garlic Scape Pesto

• 1/2 pound garlic scapes trim off flowering end; chop into 2" pieces
• 2 cups basil leaves
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted (can also use pine nuts, pepitas, almonds, etc.)
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (more depending on consistency)
• 1/2 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated (optional)

Summer Vegetable Pasta

• 1/2 lb pasta
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 1 ear fresh corn, kernels removed
• 1/2 lb variety of small tomatoes Halved or quartered depending on the size
• additional parmigiano-reggiano for serving

Instructions

Garlic Scape Pesto

1. Combine garlic scapes, basil, walnuts, and lemon juice into a food processor. While food processor is running, drizzle in extra virgin olive oil until desired consistency is achieved.

2. Add parmigiano-reggiano cheese if desired. If freezing, skip this step.

Summer Vegetable Pasta

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Prep ingredients while waiting. Cook pasta according to box instructions (subtract a couple minutes to ensure al dente texture).

2. In a medium pan over medium heat, sautée zucchini, corn, and crushed red pepper flakes for 2 minutes. When pasta has finished cooking, drain and add to the pan. Add approximately 1/3 cup of pesto to the pan and stir to combine (more or less to taste, and to coat all the ingredients).

3. Remove pan from heat and toss in tomatoes. Top with additional cheese if desired.