Pesto is a pantry staple. Freeze fresh summer pesto for a burst of summer in the middle of winter. This Garlic Scape Pesto is, versatile and a fabulous addition to pizza, pasta, crostini, potato salad or sandwiches. Recipe yields about 1 1/4 Cup. This recipe is vegetarian + gluten free | The nutrition estimate below is for about 1 Tbs per serving.
Trim the garlic scapes by cutting just below the bulb and also if the end of the stem seems woody, trim that too (like asparagus). Discard the bulb and end of stem, then set the remaining scape aside (the curly part).
In a food processor, add the scapes, twirling them around the center so that they all fit. Add the pine nuts, cheese, juice of the lemon and salt and pepper. Process by pulsing until the mixture begins to break down. Scrape the bowl down.
With the processor running, slowly add all the olive oil. Continue to process until all the ingredients are incorporated and broken down, about one minute.
Store in a covered container or lidded jar in the fridge and enjoy within a week. Also, you can freeze the pesto in a jar or in an ice-cube tray. Once frozen, in the ice-cube tray, remove and place in a zip top bag in the freezer.
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Notes
*Unless purchased in bulk, the cost of pine nuts can be quite high. Toasted walnuts will be a fine sub for this recipe. Simply rough chop the walnuts and measure 1/3 C (30g). **Parmesan Cheese: Look for vegetarian friendly Parmesan cheese (one that does not use rennet in production). BelGioioso vegetarian Parm can be hard to find, but Organic Valley is more widely available and Stella offers a vegetarian friendly Parm. For more information, check directly with your preferred cheese maker. Recipe adapted from Epicurious.