Garlic scapes are the flower stems that garlic plants produce before their bulb comes into existence. Firm in texture like a green bean when sliced into bite-sized pieces, these unique farmer’s market finds have a lovely oniony flavor and are a quick add-in for pastas, a lovely base for a homemade pesto, grilled like scallions and served on their own as a side dish, or thrown into a big pot of soup. This colorful pasta uses this tasty treat along with a colorful mix of cherry tomatoes, tender Swiss chard and the tang that comes from fried capers. Served with a splash of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkling of cheese, this hearty vegetarian pasta is a great way to cook with garlic scapes for the first time.
Garlic scapes
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Swiss Chard, Garlic Scape & Cherry Tomato Pasta with Fried Capers
Ingredients:
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic scapes, trimmed into 1 ½-inch pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 head Swiss chard, stalks trimmed and leaves cut into bite-sized pieces
- Balsamic vinegar
- Capers
- Shaved Parmesan, for serving
- 1 lb. dried spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
Directions:
- In a large straight-sided skillet or wok, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil and the crushed red pepper over medium-high heat. Add in the trimmed scapes and the cherry tomatoes, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, and sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until the tomatoes are about to burst. Add in the Swiss chard and sauté for an additional 5 minutes, or until the leaves are wilted. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and taste, adjusting seasonings if necessary.
- In a small sauté pan heat 3 Tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add in ¼ cup capers (drained, rinsed and patted dry) and fry for 1 minute or until they become darker in color and a bit shriveled. Serve each bowl of pasta with some of the veggies/sauce, sprinkling of fried capers and some of the cheese. Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired.
Tagged: balsamic vinegar, capers, cherry tomatoes, fried capers, garlic scapes, pasta, Swiss chard, vegetarian, vegetarian pasta
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