Tasty Pistachio Creations: Ideas and Recipes from Starter to Dessert
You have a handful of pistachios, a jar of pistachio pesto and no idea in mind? Or maybe you feel like creating a new dish, but lack inspiration? Don't worry, we are here to help! Today we offer you a series of recipes ranging from appetisers to desserts, all based on pistachio. Get ready to discover how this ingredient can transform your dishes into authentic gourmet delights.
Starter: Sbriciolata Salata with Mortadella and Pistachios
Let's start right away with a tasty appetiser that is very easy to prepare: the crumbled savoury with mortadella and pistachios. This dish is ideal for those who want to impress their guests with a touch of creativity in the kitchen.
Ingredients:
- 200 g 00 flour
- 100 g cold butter cubes
- 50 g grated cheese (Grana Padano or Parmesan)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 whole egg
- 100 g of diced mortadella
- 50 g shelled pistachios
- 200 g fresh ricotta
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Instant yeast for savoury pies
Preparation:
- In a large bowl, sift the flour together with the baking powder. Add a pinch of salt, grated cheese and cold cubed butter.
- Knead the mixture with your hands until it is crumbly. Add the egg yolk and the whole egg, then continue kneading until it forms a compact ball. Wrap it in cling film and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the filling: roughly chop the pistachios and cut the mortadella into cubes. In a bowl, mix the ricotta with one egg, add the parsley, the Mortadella cubes and chopped pistachios. Season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spread half the dough in a baking tray lined with baking paper, distributing the filling evenly. Cover with the rest of the crumbled dough and bake for about 45 minutes, until the surface is golden and crispy.
- Let the crumbled before serving it. You can decorate it with some pistachio whole and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.
Advice:
This starter can be prepared in advance and reheated slightly before serving. It is perfect for an aperitif or as an appetiser in a more structured lunch or dinner. If you wish, you can vary the filling by using other cold cuts, such as cooked ham or bresaola, or add vegetables such as courgettes or spinach for an extra touch of freshness.
First Course: Cold Pasta with Pistachio Pesto and Prosciutto
When temperatures rise, cold pasta is always a winning choice. La cold pasta with pistachio pesto and ham is a simple but tasty dish, perfect for a summer lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients:
- 320 g short pasta (fusilli, farfalle or penne)
- 200 g diced cooked ham
- 200 g cherry tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons of pistachio pesto Pistì
- 50 g pine nuts
- Extra virgin olive oil q.b.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh basil for garnish
Preparation:
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water, following the cooking time indicated on the packet. Drain when al dente and leave to cool under cold water.
- Transfer the pasta to a large bowl and season with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Add the pistachio pesto and mix well to distribute the seasoning evenly. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, cooked ham cubes and toasted pine nuts.
- Season with salt and pepper, then leave the pasta to rest in the fridge for at least an hour before serving so that the flavours blend perfectly.
- Before serving, garnish with a few fresh basil leaves and, if desired, add a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.
Advice:
For an even more refined touch, you can replace the cooked ham with prosciutto crudo or speck. If you want to further enrich the dish, add a few cubes of buffalo mozzarella or Greek feta cheese. This cold pasta is also ideal for a picnic or outing, as it can be prepared in advance and served cold.
Main course: Chicken Roulade with Pistachio Grits and Speck
The chicken rolls with grains of pistachio and speck are a tasty second course that is easy to prepare. Perfect for a Sunday lunch or dinner with friends, these rolls are a real flavour explosion.
Ingredients:
- 8 slices of chicken breast
- 100 g thinly sliced bacon
- 100 g of grains of pistachio Pistì
- 50 g breadcrumbs
- 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- Spread the chicken slices on a cutting board and, if necessary, flatten them slightly with a meat tenderizer. Season with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle each slice with a few grains of pistachio and cover with a slice of bacon. Roll each slice on itself to form rolls, securing them with toothpicks.
- In a dish, mix the breadcrumbs with the grated Parmesan cheese and a little more crumbs of pistachio. Dip the rolls in the mixture, pressing lightly to make the breadcrumbs adhere well.
- Place the rolls in a baking pan lightly greased with oil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and well cooked inside.
- Serve the rolls hot, accompanied by a side of grilled vegetables or baked potatoes.
Advice:
You can also prepare these rolls in advance and cook them when serving. For a lighter variant, you can cook them in a pan with a little oil and deglaze with white wine. If you like strong flavours, you can add some stringy cheese such as scamorza or provolone to the filling.
Fish main course: Swordfish fillets with Pistachios and Parmesan cheese
If you prefer fish, the swordfish fillets with pistachios and parmesan cheese are the perfect choice. This dish combines the delicacy of swordfish with the crunchiness of pistachios, creating a truly irresistible contrast of textures and flavours.
Ingredients:
- 4 swordfish fillets
- 50 g chopped pistachios Pistì
- 50 g grated Parmesan cheese
- 50 g breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- In a bowl, mix the chopped pistachios with grated Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Brush the swordfish fillets with a little extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, then bread them with the pistachio and parmesan mix, pressing lightly to make the breadcrumbs adhere well.
- Place the fillets on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 25 minutes, or until the surface is golden and crispy.
- Serve the fillets hot, accompanied by a fresh salad or a side dish of steamed vegetables.
Advice:
If you want to add an extra touch to the dish, you can prepare a light yoghurt and lemon sauce to serve with the fillets. You can also replace the swordfish with other types of fish, such as salmon or tuna, to vary the recipe according to your taste and current availability.
Dessert: Pistachio Semifreddo
Finally, we conclude with a fresh and super delicious dessert: the pistachio parfait. This dessert is perfect to end a lunch or dinner on a high note, with its delicate taste and velvety texture.
Ingredients:
- 500 ml fresh whipping cream
- 200 g of pistachio Pistì
- 100 ml milk
- 100 g icing sugar
- 200 g dry biscuits (Digestive type)
- Milk for dipping biscuits
- Chopped pistachios for decoration
Preparation:
- Whip the fresh cream with the icing sugar until firm and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, mix the milk with the paste of pistachio until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Gently incorporate the mixture into the whipped cream, using a spatula to prevent the cream from falling apart.
- Line a plumcake mould with cling film, leaving the edges to protrude for easy removal of the semifreddo. On the bottom of the mould, arrange a layer of biscuits lightly soaked in milk.
- Pour half of the cream mixture and pistachio on top of the biscuits, levelling the surface well. Add another layer of biscuits and complete with the remaining mixture.
- Cover the semifreddo with cling film and put it in the freezer for at least 6 hours, or better overnight.
- Before serving, he takes out the semifreddo from the freezer and leave it at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Turn out onto a serving plate and decorate with chopped pistachios.
Advice:
You can enrich the pistachio parfait with a dark chocolate sauce or a berry coulis for a contrast of flavours. Also, if you prefer a lighter dessert, you can replace part of the cream with Greek yoghurt, resulting in a semifreddo less calorific but just as delicious.
Extra Ideas: Aperitifs, Snacks and Gourmet Dishes
The pistachio pesto is not limited to main dishes. It can become the secret ingredient to create tasty appetisers and aperitifs, ideal for surprising your guests or for a home-made happy hour.
Bruschette with Pistachio Pesto and Burrata
Le bruschette with pistachio pesto and burrata are a simple but impressive idea. Spread some pistachio pesto on slices of toasted bread, add a spoonful of fresh burrata cheese and garnish with chopped pistachios and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve them as an appetiser or during an aperitif and see what a success!
Focaccia with Pistachio Pesto and Mortadella
Another idea is to prepare a focaccia with pistachio pesto and mortadella. Roll out the focaccia dough, spread a generous layer of pistachio pesto and sprinkle slices of mortadella and a few parmesan shavings on top. Bake at 200°C for 15-20 minutes and serve hot, accompanied by a glass of chilled white wine.
Internal and External Links for Insights
To discover more delicious recipes and all Pistì products, visit shop.pisti.com. You will find a wide selection of pistachios, pestos and typical Sicilian sweets that will allow you to take home all the flavour of tradition.
If you are curious to know more about the pistachio of Bronte, considered the green gold of Sicily, you can read this interesting article on the Bronte Pistachio PDO.
For ideas and inspiration on how to use the pistachio pesto in other recipes, we suggest you take a look at Saffron Yellowone of the most popular cooking sites in Italy, offering a wide range of creative recipes.