A garlic scape pesto was made and used as filling for homemade pasta dough, rolled out into sheets and cut as ravioli. Pictured is a marsala wine, butter sauce with crispy prosciutto and garnished with parsley – both the leaves(finely chopped) and flowers.
Garlic Scape Pesto: Cut the curled ends into pieces small enough fit in the food processor. Blanch the scapes by tossing them in boiling water for one minute, quickly remove and shock with cold water or in ice bath to stop the cooking process. Blend in food processor until small but not a paste consistency. Add ricotta cheese, the juice and the zest of one lemon. Salt and pepper, pulse together until the filling is a consistency you enjoy.
Sauce: sauté garlic in cooking oil, add 1 bottle of dry marsala wine and allow to simmer until it has reduced down by half. Turn off heat, add a stick of butter cut in inch sections and allow to melt. Incorporate fully. Finish with juice of 1/2 lemon, chopped parsley and crispy prosciutto. If you have them, add some of the parsley flowers for looks.
Use a simple and classic homemade pasta recipe, I used this one from an old cook book I have:
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour (or “00” flour if you have it)
- 3 large eggs
- Pinch of salt (optional)
- Put the flour on a clean counter or in a bowl. Make a well in the center.
- Crack the eggs into the well and add the salt.
- Beat the eggs with a fork, gradually pulling in flour until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If it’s too dry, wet your hands and keep kneading. If it’s too sticky, dust with a little more flour.
- Wrap and let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Roll out with a rolling pin or pasta machine, then cut into your desired shape.
- Cook in well-salted boiling water for 2–4 minutes, depending on thickness.
Ratio to remember: 100 g flour : 1 egg
That’s the classic Italian rule of thumb and scales easily:
- 100 g flour + 1 egg = 1 serving
- 200 g flour + 2 eggs = 2 servings
- 300 g flour + 3 eggs = 3–4 servings
