Garlic Scape Pesto

I was just given a huge pile of garlic scapes from my niece Kelly...our farm manager.  It was time to trim them off the garlic so that the garlic bulbs could bulk up before their harvest next month.

Here's the bowl full of scapes:

Today I made a whole lot of garlic scape pesto.

And then I got it ready for the freezer.

One of these tossed into any pasta, soup or stew will be delicious.  I wonder how long it will last.

Here's the recipe I used.  Both a normal size portion and the bulk size portion.

Garlic Scape Pesto

Normal Size Portion:            

·      1/4 cup pine nuts

·      3/4 cup coarsely chopped garlic scapes

·      ½ cup basil

·      Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

·      1/2 teaspoon salt

·      A few generous grinds of black pepper

·      1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

·      1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Bulk Size Portion*:

·      1 ¼  cups pine nuts

·      5 cups coarsely chopped garlic scapes

·      1 + cup of basil

·      Juice and zest of 3 lemons

·      3 teaspoons salt

·      1 tsp black pepper

·      3 cup extra virgin olive oil

·      3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

·       

*(Makes enough pesto to fill 1 ice tray and 12 cupcake tins + 1 cup for the fridge)

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes.  Let cool a bit.  Put the scapes, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper into your food processer.  Pulse until well mixed.  (About 20 pulses).   Turn the processor on and slowly drizzle in the olive oil.  Remove the lid and scrap down the sides.  Add the cheese and pulse again to well mixed and the texture you prefer.

Enjoy.