Pesto with Bronte Pistachios
Traditional and Thermomix Recipe.
The most famous pesto from my land, Sicily, with the green gold, the Bronte pistachio.
Along with eggplant pesto and Sicilian pesto, they form the quintessential Sicilian ‘ready’ sauces.
It is prepared in no time, just the same time to cook the pasta, and you’re done.
First of all, we will use high-quality pistachios, so Bronte pistachios are the best, then you need good quality extra virgin olive oil, and grated cheese, if it’s Ragusano caciocavallo that’s the top, otherwise we’ll use Parmesan.
Pistachio pesto is the perfect condiment for pasta, lasagna, tartines, accompanied by land or sea proteins.
Other pesto recipes:
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Other
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 401.58 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 13.70 (g) of which sugars 3.95 (g)
- Proteins 11.87 (g)
- Fat 35.88 (g) of which saturated 4.62 (g)of which unsaturated 18.82 (g)
- Fibers 5.30 (g)
- Sodium 97.35 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 80 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
Let’s do the shopping
- 14.1 oz Bronte DOP pistachios (shelled and unsalted)
- 7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 10 leaves basil
- 1.4 oz caciocavallo (Ragusano DOP or Parmesan)
- 1/3 cup water
- to taste salt
Pesto with Bronte Pistachios
Tools
What we need to make
- 1 Pot
- 1 Immersion Blender
- 2 Jars 200 g
- 1 Kitchen Towel
Steps
Pesto with Bronte Pistachios
Put some water in a pot and bring it to a boil, then throw in the pistachios and let them boil for 1 minute, so the skin will come off easily.
Drain the pistachios and let them dry on a kitchen towel. Close the towel like a candy and rub to easily remove the skin.
Transfer the pistachios to a blender, pour in the olive oil, grated cheese, garlic, water, and basil leaves.
Blend the mixture until smooth, then add salt to taste.
Here is the Pesto with Bronte Pistachios ready
Put 300 g of water in the bowl, close with the basket and bring to a boil for 3 min at 212°F speed 1
Open and add the pistachios. Close, place the basket instead of the measuring cup, and cook for 2 min anti-clockwise speed 2, so the skin will come off easily.
Drain the pistachios and let them dry on a kitchen towel. Close the towel like a candy and rub to easily remove the skin.
Dry the bowl and transfer the pistachios, pour in the olive oil, grated cheese, garlic, water, basil leaves, and salt.
Blend the mixture for 2 min at speed 10, or until smooth.
Here is the Pesto with Bronte Pistachios ready
Storage, Variations, and History
Pesto with Bronte Pistachios
STORAGE: Pistachio pesto in the refrigerator for 4-5 days in a jar or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
VARIATIONS: You can omit the garlic, and add a grating of organic lemon zest.
KNOW THE BRONTE PISTACHIO:
The Bronte pistachio is known and appreciated worldwide, distinguishable from other pistachios by typical violet hues on the outer skin covering the seed, its unique aroma, and characteristic emerald green color, while others are yellowish.
Bronte pistachios grow on the slopes of Mount Etna, in the province of Catania, in steep, ash-rich soils. Here, Sicily’s green gold is cultivated without fertilizers and treatments, harvesting the precious fruits every other year.
The harvest of pistachios, which takes place between late August and early October, involves the entire population engaged in manually picking the precious fruits in steep places, on rugged terrains, climbing between branches and lava rocks.
Within a few hours of harvesting, the seed is separated from the outer shell and dried at about 104°F to remove moisture.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Pesto with Bronte Pistachios
Can I make it vegan?
Yes, you can certainly flavor it with vegan cheese, like the one made with almonds.
