The secrets of Sicilian Pesto
Has the magical green cream with citrus notes always intrigued you? Maybe you have already tried to make it but the result was disappointing?
If you want to discover the secrets of the tasty pesto made in Bronte , you are in the right place!
The protagonist of the recipe? Sicilian Pistachios, of course.
A high quality raw material that is used for various delicious dishes: ice creams, spreads for desserts, up to the magnificent pistachio pesto , of which we will reveal the secrets shortly.
PS Why don't you take a look at the section "Recipes" of our site ? You will find the best Pistachio-based recipes typical of the town of Bronte.
Well, is it already watering for you too? Because we can't wait!
Now let's stop talking, it's time to get in the kitchen.
What do you need to prepare homemade Pistachio Pesto?
Let's see the ingredients!
- 100 g of peeled Bronte pistachios
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 40 g of Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana
- 4 fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup of water
- A pinch of salt and black pepper
- A lemon zest
- ½ clove of garlic (if you like the taste)
Let's start with the protagonists: the green pistachios from Bronte. Their peeling requires a bit of patience, but don't worry, it remains a very simple operation.
Just take a saucepan, pour a little water and bring it to a boil.
As soon as the first bubbles begin to form, we can move it to a container and add 100 grams of pistachios. We will let them boil for a maximum of 7/10 minutes. With this simple operation the purple skin around the fruit can be easily removed.
Just proceed by hand or help yourself with a clean cloth. I recommend that you check that it does not leave lint or residue, so you can peel your pistachios without nasty surprises.
Just leave the pistachios in the center of the cloth , joining its ends to form a bag. We can simply shake it to let all the cuticles detach from the grain.
I guess you'll want to color the recipe a little! Finally we begin to paint the plate with its unmistakable green.
For this step the mixer will help us. We can combine our ingredients : the now peeled Bronte pistachios, extra virgin olive oil, 40 g of Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana, 4 fresh basil leaves, 1 cup of water, a pinch of salt and black pepper and a zest lemon.
Remember: add the oil gently, little by little, so that it can blend with the other ingredients evenly.
Half a clove of garlic is part of the original recipe, but not everyone likes it. To you the choice.
A few minutes of mixer and voila. A magnificent green cream will be ready.
The color is gorgeous, but the taste is unbeatable.
The preparation of the recipe is already finished, we just have to pour the Sicilian cream into a glass container, clean and sterilized with boiling water.
You could spoil it immediately, soon we will advise you how , or keep it in the fridge or freezer, freezing it for future occasions.
The characteristics of the Bronte Pistachio
The protagonist of the recipe? By now you know it: the Sicilian Pistachio from Bronte.
If you happen to take a walk among the Sicilian wonders and you will hear the name frastuca don't worry, they are talking about the very fruit you seek.
In Sicily the Pistachio is a real star, so much so that it is called green gold , for the relaunch of the local economy that it has been able to generate.
It grows in a landscape that is nothing short of suggestive, characterized by the presence of the lava rocks of Etna, between 300 and 900 meters above sea level: a resistant plant, able to cope with both summer heat and winter cold.
It has been hand-picked, for decades now , in an incredible timeless cycle that we like to call: tradition.
First niche product, reserved for the preparation of desserts, it is now a universally requested and appreciated ingredient, but it does not matter to the people who take care of the plants, harvest and dry the fruits. Italian traditions, as we know, are sacred.
We have not talked about cultivation, but only about plant care, because the Bronte Pistachio grows naturally along the slopes of Etna. A pure and simple gift from our Trinacria. Today it is one of the spokesmen of the Mediterranean taste, a heritage appreciated all over the world, since 2009 it has become a DOP product (Protected Designation of Origin) for all purposes.
The emerald green color and the positively sweetish taste will help you to recognize the original among the many imitations that dot the Italian markets.
Its quality is indisputable , just think that 100g of shelled Pistachio contain:
| ELEMENT | QUANTITY |
| Vitamin A | 415 IU |
| C vitamin | 5.6 mg |
| Vitamin D | 0 IU |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.7 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg |
| Magnesium | 121 mg |
| Sodium | 1.2 mg |
| Potassium | 1,025 mg |
| Soccer | 105 mg |
| Iron | 3.9 mg |
| Fat | 43 g |
| Saturated Fatty Acids | 6 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids | 15 g |
| Monounsaturated Fatty Acids | 24 g |
| Trans Fatty Acids | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 29 g |
| Food Fiber | 10 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
How did we discover this recipe and its properties?
Do you know why we started preparing Sicilian pesto instead of the traditional Genovese recipe? Yes, we were born in Bronte, but the reason is another!
We were looking for an ingredient that would help us in the diet, with a lot of protein, low fat and, obviously delicious on the palate, if not what good would it be?
We started wandering virtually all over the Peninsula, from the Piedmontese mountains, to the Apulian beaches, passing through the Umbrian scrub. We still weren't satisfied.
We ended up in the Sicilian countryside almost by chance.
And there it is, the ingredient with spicy notes, the protagonist of the cream that wraps our beloved spaghetti.
A doctor disguised as a super star. Why do we call it that?
Pistachios, in addition to their unique taste, contain beneficial properties for our body.
- They know how to counteract muscle fatigue, and here we are talking to sports veterans but also to novices like us, who want to give us a prize after Sunday's race.
- They help the eyesight
- They protect the liver and heart, improving the proper functioning of the metabolism.
- The list goes on ...
In practice, if you start trying pistachio pesto not only you will not be able to stop, but you will live to be 127 years old!
Maybe we got carried away, but joking aside, Sicilian pesto is really good, both for your palate and for your health.
But we must not be distracted, we promised you some ideas to create new dishes. Here they are!
3 recipes to enjoy Bronte Pistachio Pesto
We have discovered a healthy DOP ingredient, with an unmistakable taste. It does not end here. Pistachio di Bronte is also extremely versatile as an ingredient, it lends itself to multiple culinary combinations, thanks to its unmistakable delicacy. Below we will give you 3 ideas with which you can have fun in the kitchen but the list would be long, then: room for creativity!
Fusilli with ricotta and Pistachio Pesto
We have prepared an incredible Pistachio cream: the famous Sicilian pesto awaits us in the fridge. Why not use it right away?
Ingredients (for 4 people):
Pistachio pesto, fresh ricotta, nutmeg and Fusilli.
Preparation :
Let's start with the fresh ricotta cream (300 g) combined with 90 g of Bronte Pistachio pesto: we will blend them together, with a sprinkling of nutmeg.
Just add the sauce to the fusilli and serve the still steaming dish on the table!
Simplicity and taste, why ask for more?
We also exalted its versatility, let's put it to the test!
Here are two other dishes that you can make with Bronte Pistachio.
Rice with Pistachio cream
A healthy and light dish with an always delicate flavor.
Ingredients (for 4 people):
100 g of Bronte pistachios, 280 g of rice, 40 g of goat butter, 200 ml of water, 40 ml of extra virgin olive oil, 1 pinch of salt, shallot and aromatic herbs.
Preparation :
Let's start with a quick roasting of the pistachios at 140 °, about 8-10 minutes will be more than enough.
We create a Pistachio cream by combining the other ingredients with a mixer.
Let's prepare the rice separately, getting ready to add the delicious Bronte Pistachio cream.
Serve with the accompaniment of shallots and aromatic herbs.
Lasagne with meat sauce and Bronte Pistachio
Ingredients (for 4 people):
250 gr. of minced beef pulp, 200 gr. of Bronte green pistachio flour, 100 gr. of cheese, onion to taste, 500 gr. of butter, 100 gr. of parmesan, 500 gr. of bechamel, 250 gr. of lasagna.
Preparation :
Let's start with a quick fried onion with the help of butter. The beef will be combined in the pot as soon as the onion is wilted. Salt and wine will be the perfect condiment.
We are ready to prepare a plate of lasagna, alternating with each layer ragù, Bronte cream and bechamel.
40 minutes in the oven at 180 ° will guarantee sublime cooking.
The table is set, let's not keep it waiting!
The recipes to be developed with this PDO ingredient are really many: first, second, side dishes and desserts , all can be enriched by its sweet and healthy notes.
By continuing to follow us you will discover many other ideas dedicated to this protagonist of Italian culture.
Let us know in the comments if you have already tried some of these dishes or if you would like to know the recipe for a new creation!
Let your imagination run wild, we'll take care of helping you in the kitchen 🙂
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