Grilled Garlic Scape Pesto Smashed Potatoes

Crispy grilled potatoes smashed and seasoned with garlic scape pesto.

Subtitle:  Yet Another Reason Why You Should Put Up Garlic Scape Pesto This Year

I will shamelessly admit that this post is a Call to Action. I want you to find garlic scapes (if it's not too late in your neck of the woods) and make pesto with them. Make lots and lots of pesto, then freeze some of it because pesto lasts a long time and can be enjoyed in so many ways.

Here is my garlic scape pesto (GSP) recipe, using pistachios, parsley and basil for that whole Green on Green action, but use the recipe that appeals to you the most. There are many pesto options in my Garlic Scape Recipe Round Up and on my Garlic Scapes Pinterest Board. If you get enough scapes, you could try them all!

I use a bit less olive oil in my recipe so the result is a thicker pesto, easy to scoop (Amazon affiliate link to my scoop) onto a tray to freeze. [I prefer not to use my ice cube trays since I use them to make ice and never have enough ice in the summer.] I often whisk thawed scoops of GSP with additional oil before using, like I did in today's recipe.

The first time I heard about smashed potatoes was while skimming through a Pioneer Woman cookbook in the bookstore. I failed at my first attempt to make them [I was too vigorous with my smashing] but they still tasted good. I tried them again on our old grill, but when your grill is optimized for portability and powered by a creme brûlée torch-sized can of propane, you learn not to expect much. The third time was the charm for these spuds--I didn't crash too vigorously and the grill was big enough, and hot enough [and gosh darn it, people like it] to make this concept work.

These were rounds 3 and 4 for the grill--I'd already grilled green beans and zucchini for later use.

My daughter filled up a 3 quart saucepan with potatoes because I know that no matter how they are prepared, my family loves potatoes. I only grilled what would fit on my grill sheet because I didn't want overcrowding, and because we can always find a use for cooked & cooled potatoes. [In this case, some went onto a pizza, some went into a spinach and potato quesadilla, and some were fried up with onions and eggs for breakfast.]

For other recipes using Garlic Scapes, please see my Garlic & Garlic Scapes Recipe Collection, part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient. I've got a Pinterest board of Garlic Scape Recipes here, and a Round Up of 28+ Food Blogger Recipes Using Garlic Scapes here.

Grilled Garlic Scape Pesto Smashed Potatoes

about 2½ pounds small round potatoes

2 Tablespoons Garlic Scape Pesto (use your favorite recipe--my favorite is here)

olive oil, about 3 Tablespoons total, divided

salt and pepper

Scrub potatoes then place in a 3 qt saucepan. Cover with water and throw in a generous pinch of salt. Turn on heat to medium high, bring to a boil, and boil for 10 to 15 minutes. [I kept the cover mostly on except when the water overflowed and burned out the pilot light and I'd start over.] Drain. 

Preheat a grill to medium heat [after first turning it to high to burn off any remnants of the last grilling session], and if you have a flat grill sheet, that will work great here. [How I had all these grill accessories without a proper grill astounds me. Thrift shop.]

In a small bowl whisk together garlic scape pesto and 2 Tablespoons olive oil. Set aside.

Brush a sturdy surface with additional olive oil [I used a metal tray so I could carry the potatoes out to the grill undisturbed] and place drained potatoes on it. Gently smash the potatoes with a handy canning jar until they flatten a bit and crack--after the first couple you get the feel for how far to go. Brush tops of potatoes with olive oil. Carefully transfer to preheated grill (sheet). Cover the grill and cook for about 8 minutes.

Carefully flip and then brush prepared garlic scape pesto sauce across the browned potatoes. Cover the grill and cook another 5 to 8 minutes. Carefully flip again, brush with pesto sauce, cover the grill and cook for 3 to 5 more minutes or until potatoes are nicely crispy. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper and serve.

Why yes, this is last year's photo from the 2nd round of this recipe. Robert Barker smashed this lovely Polish pottery piece on a midnight muffin raid the one (1!) night we let him sleep outside the crate.

This post is shared with What's Cookin' Wednesday.