Since my childhood I had a long love affair with Pistachio Ice Cream. I loved the pastel green color, and of course the subtle and smooth sweet & savory taste. It was a classic, especially paired with Vanilla (for me). It stands out for that its delicate and salty aftertaste, which can be perfectly combined with both creamy and fruit ice creams. 

Particularly good with hazelnut, almond (they say…), and chocolate ice creams. Although, I avoid other nuts with pistachio, and … oh well: I am a plain vanilla type of person, so no chocolate for me.

Now there is a real rise in the use of pistacchios in the kitchen, and pastries at industrial levels.

The fruit of this tree has an incredible mouth-watering color. Among the croissants offerings for our morning cappuccinos there are now croissants filled with pistachio cream. So tempting!  

• 

• 

A smooth—Nutella like—sweet cream, used to embellish numerous desserts: it can be combined with the mixture of cakes, the filling of muffins or tarts; it can be added to custard, whipped cream, and can also be enjoyed just spread on bread in the morning. Coupled with white chocolate it creates a superlative combination.

The great battle of taste, as we know, is precisely over hazelnut spreads vs pistachio-based creams. Here the population is divided as onion or garlic. 

• 

• 

• 

Pistachio is now the basis of all dishes, sweet and savory, which are offered all over the internet.

Whether it’s a crepe with raspberries and cream; spaghetti with pistachio pesto (add burrata to go all the way…); pistachio is one of the patrons of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. 

• 

• 

• 

In Naples I tried the cream of pistachio (not pistachio ice cream!), over vanilla ice cream. I loved it, it was a dream! Recently I bought a jar a pistachio pesto, and enjoyed a dish of Spaghetti al Pesto di Pistacchio! It is quite an interesting taste.

• 

• 

• 

A Panna Cotta with Strawberries and Pistachios is the dessert par excellence on Sundays in May (even on rainy days like we had here 😏).

• 

• 

• 

Crushed pistacchios added to a rack of lamb makes it truly delicious. For the daring adding pistachio cream to a classic cheesecake it leads to riveting results as well.

A Note on the Health Side

Pistachio contains the vitamins B and B6. Adding pistachios to your diet helps reduce LDL cholesterol. The small fruits, with an elongated and more or less flattened shape, can be eaten naturally, toasted and salted, or used as an ingredient in various culinary preparations. 

The Italian Specialty

The Sicilian pistachio crops are quantitatively inferior, but qualitatively considered the best. Famous and appreciated all over the world, Sicilian pistachios are grown at an altitude of between 300 and 800 meters.

Pistachios of Bronte 

In the town of Bronte, in the province of Catania it has always been cultivated. So much so that the pistachio produced exclusively in this area deserves the DOP label, of protected origin.