Farmer's Market Spaghetti with Garlic Scape Pesto

Have you jumped on the farmer's market bandwagon?

Other than being a spectacular Instagram stop, these markets are the best way to get fresh, affordable, local and in-season fruits and veggies during the year. My favorite way to tackle the farmer's markets in Boston is to go take a slow stroll through each stand; rather than going with a list, I go in and simply choose whatever produce looks the best to me that day.

This recipe for Farmer's Market Spaghetti with Garlic Scape Pesto is the perfect base for any vegetables you fancy! It's fresh and light, yet fulfilling and packed with great flavor. 

My market had giant beautiful zucchinis this week, so I knew I had to come away with a few of those. I also was in love with the bunches of onions, fresh fennel, and big bundles of basil. With basil in hand, pesto was certainly in my near future. To put a fun, fresh spin on an old classic, I grabbed a few garlic scapes--that is, the bud of the flower on a garlic plant. This isn't a particularly common grocery store ingredient, but in late June and early July, farmer's markets are brimming with them! They have a softer garlic flavor and can be used in any way you might use a scallion or fresh herb...so, of course...PESTO!

Along with the pesto, I chop and dice the zucchinis, onions and fennel then saute them in a bit of butter and olive oil. Since the sauce is packed with flavor, I lightly season the veggies with some salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes for a nice kick. A little lemon juice and a generous amount of grated parmesan cheese are the cherry on top of these twirly tasty noodles--don't be shy!

Roasted Asian Eggplant, Fennel and Garlic Pasta

Pasta makes me happy, happy, BUT THIS PASTA? Well, it's a game changer.

A few times every summer, I've tried to make a habit of going to the Farmer's Market and finding a vegetable or two that I've never cooked with before. A lot of stands will have signs next to most of their produce describing the flavor and some ideas on how to cook it; if not, I strongly recommend you talk to the folks working the stand--they are the most knowledgeable after all!

Last week, I came away from the market with some classics--big giant zucchini, green and golden, as well as blackberries and local onions--as well as some newer veggies. I decided to try these adorable Asian eggplants as well as a fennel bulb! 

I have never much enjoyed traditional eggplant, both in taste and texture, but I liked the IDEA of eggplant. When I saw that Asian eggplants have a softer skin and are milder in flavor compared to regular eggplants, I felt confident that this is what would change my mind on eggplant (when combined with buttery noodles, creamy roasted garlic, and parmesan cheese of course).

As for fennel, I just never really gave it a chance. I don't really love a strong licorice flavor, so I was judging a book by it's cover and simply assuming I wouldn't like fennel. How wrong I was! Golden brown roasted fennel has a wonderful depth of flavor and is sweet and savory--the perfect compliment to this pasta dish.

This is an easy and delicious dinner that is perfect to whip up on a busy work night or to impress guests on the weekend. Roasted garlic and plenty of butter bring everything together. This pasta is filling yet light thanks to lemon juice and plenty of fresh parsley. I'm sure you're going to love it!