Garlic Scape Pesto & Ricotta Muffins #MuffinMonday

These savory muffins are flavored with garlic scape pesto & ricotta cheese. They bake up quickly for an easy bread to serve alongside pasta, chicken, or fish.

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Ever make a main dish and think at the last moment, "you know, some hot bread would be great with this"? That's one of the reasons I like muffins--they come together quickly (as in, thrown together while an entree is baking) and usually require just pantry ingredients. Simply pop them into the already hot oven and a few minutes later you've got yourself a hot bread to accompany your meal.  Take that, yeast breads!

I envisioned these muffins alongside a plate of lasagna, spaghetti & meatballs, or a crock pot pizza casserole where the pesto-ricotta combination can enhance the entree. They'd be terrific with my Pesto Ricotta Baked Swai recipe or my Chicken Spinach Artichoke Pesto Pasta recipe. When I made them I was just craving a savory quick bread I could slather in buttery spread and snarf down while standing in the kitchen with my wiener dog, Vincent, at my feet catching the crumbs. True story! These muffins assuaged the craving.

I was not interested in having a full pan of muffins to feed a larger group--I just wanted enough for our family--so I filled my muffin cups much fuller than usual. The resulting large muffins took a few more minutes to bake, but Vincent and I didn't mind. This recipe could be stretched into a dozen if you make them smaller than I did.

the wet ingredients

Seasonal eaters will delight in the inclusion of garlic scape pesto in this recipe. If you know what it is and you've got some--go for it. If you're not sure where in the grocery store you'd buy garlic scape pesto, let me give you a Top Tip: it's not there. Use a prepared pesto instead, and check out this Garlic Scape Recipe Round Up to learn more about the wonders of garlic scapes.

For more recipes using Garlic Scapes, please see my Garlic & Garlic Scapes Recipe Collection. This collection is part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient, a resource for folks like me eating from the farm share, the farmer's market, the garden, the neighbor's garden, and great deals on ugly produce at the grocery store.

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Garlic Scape Pesto and Ricotta Muffins
By Kirsten Madaus

These savory muffins are flavored with garlic scape pesto & ricotta cheese. They bake up quickly for an easy bread to serve alongside pasta, chicken, or fish.

Prep time: 00:10
Cook time: 00:18
Total time: 00:33

Yield: 8-10 large or 12 regular muffins

Ingredients:
1 egg
1 cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons prepared garlic scape pesto (or basil pesto)
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¾ teaspoon salt (I use kosher)
1 teaspoon diastatic malt (optional, don't fuss if you don't have it)
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups White Whole Wheat flour (8 ounces by weight)
Optional: 2 Tablespoons grated Parm cheese shaken on top before baking

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line 8 to 12 muffin wells with paper cups.

In a large bowl, mix together egg, ricotta, oil and pesto until well blended.

Dump dry ingredients on top (everything else but the Parm cheese).

Stir just until barely mixed together.

Scoop batter into prepared pan, filling up the cups for large muffins or leaving them ⅔ full for regular muffins. If using optional Parm, shake onto muffins at this step.

Bake for 18 minutes (large) or 15 minutes (regular) until lightly browned.

Cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove from pan. Serve warm with butter.

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

Check out what May Muffin-y goodness we've got for you this month!

• Cheesy Zucchini and Basil Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Coconut Raisin Muffins from Passion Kneaded
• Corn Dog Bites from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Crawfish Pie Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Garlic Scape & Ricotta Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Strawberry Cantaloupe Muffins from Palatable Pastime