Garlic Scapes Revisited

Carbo loading with style - I'm planning to run a 10K road race on Sunday, so tonight was my night to fill up on pasta.  This meal was soooo good and so easy that I just have to share it with you.  I also wanted to tell you about the three ways in which I used the Garlic Scape Pesto that I wrote about yesterday.  This dinner was thrown together at the last minute using ingredients on hand : The Garlic Scape Pesto which was just waiting in the  fridge, and spaghetti with a sauce of Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic that I had made with our tomatoes last summer and stored in the freezer.  The dinner was definitely full flavored.

I had originally planned a more complicated adaptation of the sauce, but was sidetracked by weeding and pruning.  I got off to a late start so I simply thawed the tomatoes in the microwave then popped them into a saute pan and simmered them to reduce the liquid.  Last summer I had blanched, peeled, and quartered the tomatoes, then put them in a roasting pan with slivered garlic, a little olive oil, salt and some fresh basil leaves.  I then roasted them at 425 F for about 45 min to 1 hour, until their volume was reduced, the flavors concentrated and they were slightly carmelized.  Then I simply put them into plastic storage containers and froze them.

While waiting for the sauce to thicken we indulged in a tastey appetizer of Butter Bean Dip and Garlic Scape Pesto on crackers (use #1).  I was concerned that the Garlic Dip would be too strong alone, but in fact it was quite nice.  It was a nice counterpoint to the milder bean dip.

I also used the Garlic Scape Pesto to make garlic bread.  I spread it on sliced baguettes, wrapped them in foil and heated for a few minutes (use #2).  Worked like a charm.

After the pasta was cooked and drained, I stirred in a spoonful of the Pesto (use #3).  The oil in the pesto kept the pasta from sticking together and the pesto provided a round full garlicy taste which complimented the tomato sauce.

So, an easy and delicious meal.  I must add that this sauce was fabulous.  I am always so glad to have those roasted tomatoes in the freezer.  The roasting process reduces the juice and concentrates the flavor to a rich, round tomato taste that can't be beat. I really had to stop after every bite, take a deep breath, and sigh with pleasure.  The roasted tomato is truly a gift to those who love to eat.