Our garden is heavy on basil these days, which is a good thing because we love pesto. I make it in big batches and freeze portions for the winter.
But the truth is, that you can make pesto with just about any herb or nut–even the greens popping out of garlic bulbs. Cut these garlic scapes off and let the plant focus its energy on the garlic bulb while you enjoy the greens. (Or you could just buy the scapes from Whole Foods!)
We enjoyed garlic scape pesto over a vegan pizza last Shabbos. It would be even better with fresh Parmesan and mozzarella, if you’re making it dairy.
PESTO PIZZA
1 whole wheat pizza crust (see recipe below)
1 cup garlic scape pesto or basil pesto (See recipe below)
3 fresh tomatoes
1/2t sea salt
freshly ground pepper
olive oil
Roll out the crust with a rolling pin on a floured surface until it’s about 1/2-in. thick. Cover the crust with pesto and then tightly pack a layer of tomatoes over it. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top and then drizzle olive oil across the tomatoes and bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Slice when cold and serve warm.
EASY WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA DOUGH
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup gluten (optional, but this makes it softer and more doughy)
2t sea salt
2t yeast
3T olive oil
1 cup warm water
Mix the flour, gluten, salt and yeast in a food processor. While it’s running, slowly add the olive oil and the warm water. If the dough is not wet enough, add a little more water, a teaspoon at a time. If it’s too wet, remove it and knead in a little more flour. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl and cover it with a wet towel. Keep it in a warm place (like your oven with just the light on) for at least an hour.
PESTO (two ways)
2 cloves garlic
3 large handfuls of basil or garlic scapes
1/2 cup pinenuts or almonds
3T olive oil
1/2t salt
freshly ground pepper
Add all the ingredients to the food processor. The pesto will last in the fridge for at least a week, if you don’t gobble it up. You can also freeze it in an ice cube tray and then store the cubes in a freezer bag for months.
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