Pesto... Improvised

I discovered garlic scapes at the farmer's market last summer.

My favorite thing to do with them is make a pesto.

One suggested recipe is here.

Here's what I had in the kitchen tonight and used in my pesto:

4 garlic scapes
about 1/4 cup of walnuts
a few tablespoons roasted pine nuts
parmesan
olive oil
few leaves of basil

Chop garlic scapes into 3-4 inch lengths. The bottom ends will be a little tough so you might skip them.

Add garlic scapes and nuts (walnuts, pine nuts, pecans... all would work) to a food processor.
Pulse until finely chopped.
Add parmesan, basil, and some oil.
Pulse some more.
Add some more olive oil in small amounts, pulsing each time until the mixture is creamy.

Pesto is a great way to use up little bits of things. Take some basil (or other herbs), some parmesan, and nuts. Pulse. Easy. It doesn't require a lot of finesse. It also freezes well. You can freeze small amounts and then defrost briefly by floating the container in some warm water from the tap. Then, mix with the hot pasta.

For the single gal, I also recommend buying a small food processor (about $20) and a small spatula as an essential kitchen item. I use mine for pesto, dips, salsa - any small chopping need. I don't have much call for a larger one nor do I have the storage space. Most larger amounts can be mixed in small amounts and then combined in a larger bowl/pot (e.g., soups).

Cheers.