Recipe - Basil & Garlic Scape Pesto

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Garlic scapes are in season right now at my local farmer's market, so I decided to make some pesto with them. If you don't know what a garlic scape is, it's the top green shoots from garlic. They remove the scapes to get the garlic to grow larger. I've also been told it's a special variety, so not all garlic scapes are suitable for cooking with. They have a mild garlic flavor that is just wonderful.

Makes about 1-1/4 cups of pesto

~ 1/2 cup fresh basil (packed tight)
~ 1/2 cup garlic scapes, chopped (about 5-7 scapes)
~ 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
~ 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
~ 2 tablespoons pine nuts
~ Sea Salt and Pepper to Taste

The smaller you chop the garlic scapes, the easier it will be to chop them in the blender. Add the pine nuts, scapes and basil to a food processor or small blender and pulse until all the pieces are chopped up. You may need to use a spoon to move the mixture around so that it gets chopped up faster. Add the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to the mixture and continue to pulse until it's relatively smooth. Add the olive oil slowly to the mixture, pulsing as you go. Stir in a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Store in an air tight container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. It can also be frozen for several months.