Pasta Salad With Spinach, Chickpeas, and Tahini

It looks like we are getting garlic scapes in our share.   Bon Appetit magazine says... "Garlic scapes are the stalks that grow from the bulbs of hardneck garlic plants. If left unharvested, the scapes eventually bloom flowers when the garlic plant fully matures. However, the scapes are usually harvested before they flower so the garlic plant can channel all its energy into producing the most flavorful bulbs. The resulting scapes taste mild and sweet, like chives or scallions, but with a hit of unmistakable garlicky flavor that's softer than its bulbous counterpart."

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

• 1/2 lb. dry pasta (your choice of shape)
• 1 cup chickpeas (canned is fine, rinsed and drained)
• 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves

For the Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic scapes (or 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sesame paste (tahini)
• 3 - 4 tablespoons water (depending on desired consistency)
• Pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Salt, to taste

Directions:

Add the pasta to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook according to the package directions. Drain the cooked pasta and return to the pot. Stir in the rinsed and drained chickpeas as well as the baby spinach leaves. Note that the residual heat of the pasta will cook the spinach down a bit.

Make the dressing by whisking together the chopped garlic scapes or minced garlic, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, sesame paste, water, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, ground black pepper and salt.

Toss the pasta, spinach and chickpeas with the dressing and serve at room temperature.

Recipe from:  The Spruce Eats