If I didn’t know better I would think I had a bowl of little green snakes. I HATE snakes. I know I shouldn’t, but…I blame it on my sister. She used to chase me with sticks when we were little and tell me they were snakes. It’s all HER fault! But no….these are wonderful green garlic scapes. They have only made the scene a few years ago. We even got some in our CSA box last year. Being the first year I planted garlic, this is my first scape harvest too. The plants send up flower stalks, which is what these are. If you want all the energy to go into the bulb…which I do…you cut off the scapes.
I was planning to make grilled pizza tonight…so…garlic pizza it is. I sautéed them in some nice olive oil, very gently, and then added them to the pizza and some simple fresh mozzarella cheese. Tender and sweet, and almost like asparagus…but garlicy! What could be better for a warm spring evening?
I used a pizza crust recipe I got on the Grist website that worked out great.
Grilled Garlic Scape Pizza
Makes 2 12-inch pizzas
Prep time: dough: 4 hours, and baking pizza: 20 minutes
Crust
1 cup unbleached flour
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup warm water
Mix the flour, yeast, honey, and water together until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot till light and bubbly, about 1 1/2 hours.
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached flour, plus extra for kneading
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1-2 tablespoons additional olive oil for bowl and brushing
Stir in the whole wheat flour, unbleached flour, oil and salt. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Clean out the bowl and drizzle in about a tablespoon of olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turn to coat with oil, cover with plastic and a towel. Set aside to rise until double, about another hour. (You can put the dough in the refrigerator at this point for up to a couple days. Bring out 2 hours before you plan to bake the pizza) Punch down and divide into 2 balls. Place on an oiled baking sheet and let rise a third time, about an hour. When ready to bake the pizzas press out each ball into a flat round and brush with oil on both sides. Lay on a sheet pan to have ready when the fire is ready.
Topping
3-4 garlic scapes, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
a small handful of fennel fronds, pulled apart
Heat the scapes in the oil for a few minutes, letting it sizzle away. Turn off the heat and let cool to room temperature. Have all the ingredients close at hand to the grill. I used a charcoal grill. I placed the glowing coals, which I started in a chimney, on one half of the grill, so you have a hot side and a cooler side. Place the dough on the hot side and cook for a minute or two. When the dough is golden brown and rigid, turn over. Place the cheeses on the crust, top with half the scapes and oil and scatter the fennel fronds on top. When the crust is starting to brown move to the cooler side and put the lid on for a minute or two until the cheese starts to melt. Transfer to a cutting board, cut and enjoy! Repeat with the other piece of dough and remaining topping ingredients.
Now where would I find this item so I can grow it next year in my own garden?
You are in luck! The perfect time to plant garlic is in the fall. Find some organic garlic at a farmers’ market or store, separate the cloves, and plant each one, pointy end up, about 6-inches deep, about 6-inches apart. I planted mine in late October. The scapes can be harvested in late May/June and you pull the garlic bulbs about the middle of July. From there you can save a few bulbs to plant again in the fall…a perennial garlic feast!