Who said cabbage is only to be enjoyed in soups or stews? Today I’ll tell you about a very simple homemade preparation, which will allow us to enjoy in a different way and appreciate a vegetable that is not very loved, mainly due to its strong smell. I’m talking about cabbage pesto with pistachios, a creamy sauce with an unexpectedly delicate taste, ready to use. It is a vegetarian preparation, very tasty, light, and very easy. Cabbage pesto with pistachios can be used in many different ways, as it is excellent on crostini, bruschetta, to dress pasta, or to accompany meat, shellfish, and fish; let your imagination run wild, to create simple or elaborate first courses, second courses, side dishes, or appetizers.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6-7
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 10.5 oz cabbage, cleaned
- 2 tablespoons grated table cheese
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt and pepper
- 1.75 oz unsalted pistachios
- to taste coarse salt
Preparation
Wash the cabbage leaves (the more internal, yellow/white ones are the sweetest) and remove the hard stem. Weigh them and take the amount we need.
Place the cleaned leaves in a pot full of water with a pinch of coarse salt and bring to a boil. Cook the cabbage over low heat until the leaves are cooked and tender (about 30 minutes in total).
Drain the cooked cabbage leaves well, quickly rinse them under cold water and drain again. Put them in a mixer (or blender) along with the cheese (a mix of Parmesan and Pecorino Romano works well too), ground pepper, and pistachios (if using salted pistachios, be careful not to add too much salt to the pesto). Start blending and gradually add the oil (1 tablespoon should be sufficient) until you achieve a creamy but not liquid consistency; adjust the salt if necessary. Transfer the cabbage pesto to a clean jar, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator. Cabbage pesto with pistachios keeps for about 3-4 days maximum, well sealed, in the coldest part of the fridge.
