July 8, 2010 | 2 Comments

Orzo with Garlic Scape Pesto

So… have you been waiting with baited breath to see what I’d do with the Garlic Scape Pesto? Well, it desperately needed to be combined with some pasta for dinner, and this is the garlicky result: Orzo with Garlic Scape Pesto.

I wanted to up the veggie content here, and used the flavours that the boyfriend has been matching with orzo lately: zucchini and sundried tomato. Yum. When you dice the zucchini so that it’s the same size(-ish) as the orzo, something magical happens and everything tastes texturally perfect. I also had a red pepper in the fridge, and some pea shoot sprouts on hand, and wanted to get a little more colour in the dish — voila! (If you had some canned white beans on hand, I think they’d be tasty here, as well as a great way to up the protein content a little).

And if you don’t have garlic scape pesto? You should make some. (And if you used a rather garlicky basil pesto, I wouldn’t tell anyone… shhhhhh).

Orzo with Garlic Scape Pesto

A Boyfriend Inspired Recipe

Serves 4

1 c. uncooked orzo
1 zucchini, finely diced
1 red pepper, diced
6 sundried tomatoes, diced
1 big handful of pea shoot sprouts, chopped (flat leaf parsley would also be great here)
2 Tbsp. garlic scape pesto (a garlicky basil pesto could be a good substitute)
2 tsp. olive oil (optional)

In a medium pot, bring water to cook the orzo to a boil. Add the orzo and let cook until al dente according to the cooking times on the package (mine takes 9 minutes). Drain, using a sieve.

While the orzo is cooking, you can prepare the rest of the ingredients: in a large mixing bowl, combine zucchini, red pepper, sundried tomatoes, and pea shoot sprouts. Mix well.

Once you have the cooked orzo, add it to the veggies and mix until evenly combined. Add the garlic scape pesto (and the additional olive oil if you need it), and toss to combine.

Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold the next day as a pasta salad, and enjoy!