Garlic scape pesto is a variation of traditional pesto that uses the tender shoots of garlic bulbs. It can be made by chopping the scapes and blending them with garlic cloves, nuts, olive oil, and optional ingredients like Parmesan cheese and sea salt. The homemade pesto can be refrigerated for up to a week and used as a dip, spread, or flavoring for pasta, rice, fish, and vegetables. Compared to traditional pesto, garlic scape pesto has a milder garlic flavor and uses nuts instead of pine nuts.
Pesto is a savory sauce for bread, pasta, pizza and fresh vegetables. He often combines the earthy flavor of pine nuts with Parmesan and herbs like basil. Garlic scape pesto is a twist on the classic pesto recipe that uses the tender shoots that grow above ground on garlic bulbs. This pesto calls for a supply of garlic cloves instead of garlic cloves.
To make garlic scape pesto, you can purchase garlic scapes at health food stores, farmers markets, or from any garlic grower. The best cloves of garlic are young and flexible. If scapes are harvested after they have reached maturity, they will likely have a strong garlic flavor instead of the delicate garlicky tang that scapes are known for. They will also be less tender, resulting in a lot of waste.
To prepare the pesto scapes, you remove and discard the flowers from the top of the plant, if any. The scapes must be rinsed thoroughly to remove dirt and insects. This can be done using a colander and sink spray or by running them in a bowl of cold water until clean. After the scapes have dried, they must be chopped with kitchen shears or a knife and added to the container in which the pesto will be prepared.
Along with the garlic cloves, many recipes also call for some type of stock cube. Heart-healthy almonds and walnuts are popular choices. You can grind the walnuts and scapes in a food processor and add olive oil into the mixture. Additional and optional ingredients for garlic scape pesto include Parmesan cheese and sea salt.
Homemade garlic scape pesto keeps about a week when refrigerated. Common uses for garlic scape pesto and traditional pesto include adding flavor to pasta dishes, spreading on bread, and as a dip for some meats. Cooks who love garlic scape pesto also tend to use it in an original way with dishes based on rice, fish and fresh vegetables. Garlic scape pesto also complements the flavor combination in a traditional buffalo mozzarella and tomato salad.
Compared to garlic scape pesto, traditional pesto has a different flavor profile. The traditional Italian recipe uses garlic gloves, which have a stronger flavor than garlic cloves. It also uses basil, an herb with a distinctive green flavor. Pine nuts or pignolias, often roasted before being added to traditional pesto, have an earthy flavor that walnuts and almonds do not provide.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
