The Great Garlic Escape…Garlic Scapes and Almond Pesto

The Great Garlic Escape…Garlic Scapes and Almond Pesto

I went to the Friends of Southland’s Heritage Farm Market this weekend and was delighted to find (among other things) the loveliest looking garlic scapes. Actually, they look like green onions having a bad hair day or a bit like SideShow Bob’s hair…except green. However, once you taste them…you will think they look lovely too. My friend Desi introduced me to them last year…she just sauteed them up in a bit of butter with salt and pepper…heaven.

This year my friend Paula suggested making garlic scape pesto. So I did. I found the same recipe repeated all over the place but they seem to originate from Dorie Greenspan’s blog: In the Kitchen and on the Road with Dorie. They also all called for toasted almond slivers. I am saving those for biscotti so I used ground almonds instead. Feel free to be a purest and follow Dorie’s recipe…she is after all a rather famous cook and cook book author…I am not. Well not yet anyway. I haven’t decided what to be when I grow up.

Garlic Scape and Almond Pesto

10 garlic scapes with bulbs removed and rough chopped
1/3 c. parmesan or romano (add more cheese if you like it)
1/3 c. ground almonds
1/2 c. olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Whiz up the scapes, half the cheese, almonds and half the olive oil to get the scapes to texture. Add the remaining cheese and olive oil until you get the texture you want. This is not an exact science…make it the way you like it. My version is below.

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Cook up some pasta (any old kind will do) and toss. Add in chopped tomatoes and peppers for colour (or don’t…your call). Eat. I decided to try it plain the first time. Wooooweee garlicky and yummy. Note: if you don’t like garlic don’t make this.

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I also have to say that the fresh Southlands Farms goat cheese is really, really…really good. Just had some on a cream cracker…ok maybe I had three. Awesome.



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