How many times, while reading the ingredients of typical Neapolitan Christmas sweets, have you come across the term “pisto” and wondered what it was?
Well, pisto is nothing more than a spice mix whose aroma and flavor make sweets like roccocò, mostaccioli and susamielli uniquely delicious.
Finding it outside Campania is not very easy, I find it here in Rome at Castroni or Peroni, however making it at home is really simple, you just need to get the right spices and then compose the mix.
The 4 main spices that make up pisto are cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, and nutmeg. For an even spicier taste, you can optionally add pepper and star anise.
Now take a minute to read the recipe and then… let’s cook and eat!!
See also
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas
Ingredients
- 0.53 oz ground cinnamon
- 0.18 oz cloves
- 0.18 oz coriander seeds
- 0.18 oz nutmeg
- 0.18 oz pepper (optional)
- 0.18 oz star anise (optional)
Tools
- 1 Mortar
- 1 Pan
Steps
The preparation of the pisto is very simple, especially if you can get the spices already in powder form. In this case, you just need to mix them together according to the weights listed in the ingredients. Therefore, to obtain 30 g of pisto, you just need to mix 15 g of cinnamon, 5 g of cloves, 5 g of coriander, and 5 g of nutmeg.
If you cannot find one or more spices already ground in stores, you can use a mortar or a good coffee grinder to achieve the necessary powders.
Once you’ve got the spice mix, proceed with toasting it in a thick-bottomed pan, over medium heat, for a few minutes until you smell the typical aroma of Neapolitan pisto.
Let the pisto cool completely before transferring it to an airtight jar and storing it until you’re ready to use it, following the specific weight required by your recipe 😉.
