Sunday Pasta™: Penne al Pistacchio
Add a comment
(6 votes, average: 8.33 out of 10)
Loading ...Share This Article
Let us ponder the pistachio: On the menu since the Upper Paleolithic; One of two nuts mentioned in the Bible (no New Yorkers, the other is the almond); Often dyed red, like Twizzlers, for the benefit of our children; So much work, so little food, so painful for our fingers. So why, you ask, does the pistachio endure? Why? I don’t want to oversimplify matters, but my hunch is that humans have been eating pistachios for over 10,000 years mainly because they taste good… even on pasta.
The most delicious pistachio in Italy (and therefore in the world) is the Pistacchio di Bronte, DOC, which is government protected. Let’s face it, as an immigrant from Persia (Iran) via Syria to Sicily over 2,000 years ago, this pistachio has got to be one tough nut. I doubt you’ll find real Pistacchio di Bronte locally and so, as usual, you’ll just have to live with the nuts from California…
Ingredients
Instructions
Shell the pistachios to yield 1 cup of nuts. (If you cannot find unsalted pistachios at the market, rinse the shelled pistachios in cold water to remove the salt and loose skins and pat dry.) Finely chop the pistachios in a food processor or coffee grinder. Set aside one quarter of the ground nuts for garnish.
In a large skillet, sauté the onion in the olive oil and butter until golden. Over medium heat, add the prosciutto and cook one minute, not allowing it to get crispy. Mix in the pistachios until well coated. Add the white wine and cook for a few minutes. Then add the cream and salt and pepper and cook for a few more minutes.
Cook the pasta until just before al dente, drain it, retaining 1 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta into the pan with the pistachio mixture and stir together for about a minute. Add some of the retained cooking water if it seems dry. Serve immediately with a garnish of the remaining chopped pistachios.
Check out our wine pairings for Penne al Pistacchio, as well as our About post that has a brief history of the dish.
Buon Appetito!
Ed Garrubbo, Editor
