Garlic Scape Pesto

If you are a garlic lover like me, then you are going to just LOVE this pesto! Every year during the summer I look forward to receiving these odd green curly stalks in my CSA vegetable share from Denison Farms. I tend to put this pesto on just about anything I make including my favorite gluten-free pastas, hamburgers, chicken and even in my breakfast omelets! It is one of my favorite recipes, and literally is one of the easiest things to make. It's garlicky, cheesy, and nutty...what's not to love? So, don't be afraid of these crazy looking garlic scapes, just give them a try!  

What are garlic scapes anyway? In a nutshell, garlic scapes are the flower stems that garlic plants produce before the bulbs mature. They tend to have a milder flavor than your traditional garlic does along with a slight sweetness. But, what makes them even more fantastic is that you don't even have to peel them! Besides using them to make this delicious pesto recipe, you can use them in homemade hummus recipes, mix them into a stir fry, or add them into soups and stews as you would regular garlic. Just experiment and see what happens and let me know what you think.

Garlic Scape Pesto
Ingredients:
8 Garlic Scapes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup raw pecans, chopped*
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 - 1 cup olive oil

Directions:
Put all ingredients up to the olive oil in a blender and pulse 5 or 6 times to break down the ingredients. Then, add in the olive oil and blend until smooth. Add more olive oil if needed to get to desired consistency.

*Any nut variety can be substituted here, I just prefer the pecan due to its sweetness.

Makes 2 cups. This pesto recipe can be made and frozen too so you can enjoy it throughout the year. 
This recipe is gluten-free and vegetarian.