Aromatic Arugula Pesto Pasta with a Hint of Garlic Scapes
Overcoming Challenges with a Delicious and Healthy Arugula Pesto Pasta Dish
This is a healthy pasta dish where you mix and eat ingredients like garlic scapes, fresh arugula, homemade arugula pesto, and tomatoes. It’s a flavorful and nutritious way to enjoy your meal.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Arugula Pesto
- 50g Spaghetti
- 1 Tbsp Salt (for boiling pasta)
- 4-5 Garlic Scapes
- 1 Tomato
- 10 Olives
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 20g Fresh Arugula
- Parmesan Cheese (grated)
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash the garlic scapes, trim off any tough ends, and cut them into pieces about 3-4 cm long. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the prepared garlic scapes and sauté gently until they become slightly tender and fragrant.
Step 2
Chop the tomato into bite-sized pieces (about 1.5 cm). If using cherry tomatoes, halve them. Pit and coarsely chop or slice the black olives. Having all your ingredients prepped beforehand will make the cooking process much smoother.
Step 3
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and cook the spaghetti. Cook it for about 1 minute less than the package instructions for perfectly ‘al dente’ pasta. Drain the spaghetti, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Add the sautéed garlic scapes and half of the chopped tomatoes to the pan with the drained pasta. Toss everything together. If the pasta seems too dry, gradually add some of the reserved pasta water to achieve your desired consistency. If you’re not using pasta water, add a couple of pinches of salt to lightly season the pasta.
Step 4
A unique aspect of this pasta is that we won’t be cooking the arugula pesto. We’ll add it at the very end to preserve its fresh, vibrant flavor.
Step 5
Arrange the cooked spaghetti on a serving plate. Artfully arrange the sautéed garlic scapes, cooked tomatoes, fresh raw tomatoes, and chopped olives around the pasta. Top generously with fresh arugula leaves. Finally, spoon 2 tablespoons of arugula pesto over the pasta.
Step 6
For an extra touch of flavor, grate fresh Parmesan cheese over the top. A sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper is also a great addition.
Step 7
Now it’s time to enjoy! When you’re ready to eat, simply mix all the ingredients on the plate together with the arugula pesto. The rich taste of the pesto combined with the fresh ingredients creates a wonderfully harmonious dish. Enjoy this delightful pasta experience right at home!
