Expedition 001: Pistachio Paste
Pistachios are fantastic nuts because, while the other more common nuts like walnuts, pecans, and almonds have a warm flavor that screams for spices, chocolate, and other rich flavors, pistachios have a bright nuttiness that can swing one of two ways: it can pair well with bright citrus, spring time fruits, and other delicate flavors or it can hold up to deeper flavors like its other compadres.
To me, pistachios have always seemed a little… inaccessible to the home baker. Maybe it’s because they’re wildly expensive (my sister calls them “rich man’s nuts”) or because you usually have to shell for hours to get a useable volume (unless you want to shell out for unshelled pistachios). For whatever reason, I always thought of pistachios as the “fancy” nut that I didn’t want to bake with.
It wasn’t until I lived in France that I learned about the surprisingly accessible power of pistachio paste. Pistachio paste is more common in France, and you can often find it at the market. Even though pistachio paste is just a stone’s throw away from the infamous (in France, that is) peanut butter, I actually think it’s a little more versatile. It can be dressed up to meet fancier palettes or treated humbly to meet… let’s say more “rustic” palettes.
I won’t lie now, pistachio paste is simple but a little tedious to make. But once you make a batch, you can use it in a huge variety of recipes—and the paste actually stretches the pistachio flavor, so you get more bang for your buck. In this Culinary Expedition, I explored three different recipes that utilize my homemade pistachio paste. The set just begins to capture the versatility in flavor and application of pistachio paste, so whip up a batch and get experimenting!
Until next time,
The Culinary Darwinist
Species in this expedition
Browned Butter Pistachio Rice Krispies — because pistachios aren’t just for adults, and rice krispies aren’t just for kids!
Pistachio Olive Oil Cake with Orange Pistachio Glaze — because you can bake pistachio paste right into a cake!
Roasted Strawberry Galette with Pistachio Mascarpone Whipped Cream — because you can also infuse pistachio paste into all kinds of toppings!
Basic Pistachio Paste
Makes about 2 cups of pistachio paste
Ingredients
Method
Blanch and dry the pistachios
- Preheat the oven to 300º. Bring a pot of water (big enough to hold the pistachios) to a boil. While the water is heating, prepare an ice bath. Drop the pistachios into the water and boil for about 1 minute, or until you can see the skins start to fall off. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the pistachios to the ice bath to stop the cooking.
- Transfer the pistachios to a clean dishtowel and rub between the towel and your hands. This should take the skin clean off, though you might have to pinch some of the more stubborn nuts. Dry out the nuts in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until they feel like an un-boiled nut. Let them cool completely before proceeding.
Make the paste
- Combine the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium-small saucepan. (You want the sugar to be in a layer at least 1/4" thick.) Heat over medium-high, using a pastry brush dipped in water to brush down the sides of the saucepan if you see sugar crystals around the rim. Do not stir the sugar after it starts simmering, just swirl it. When it reaches a rich but not dark golden brown, add the pistachios and stir to coat. Spread the caramelized nuts on a parchment lined baking sheet and let cool completely, until the caramel is completely solidified and shatters.
- Break up the caramel and place the shards into a food processor. Process the mixture until it looks like fine sand, then drizzle in the vegetable oil as you keep processing. The mixture will eventually turn into a lightly grainy paste. Add in the almond extract and process to combine. The blanched pistachios should have a nice, bright color, but you can always add a couple drops of green food coloring to drive the point home. ∎
Browned Butter Pistachio Rice Krispies
Makes 9 large rice krispie squares
Ingredients
Method
- Grease a 9x9" cake pan with butter or cooking spray. (No shame, I use the latter.) If you want thinner, smaller, and more numerous rice krispies, use a 9x13" pan.
- In a medium-large pot (I use a stockpot), melt the butter on medium-high heat. After it melts, it will start to sputter and foam—keep it going until it turns a medium golden brown and smells nutty. Immediately add the pistachio paste and stir to combine. Turn the heat down to medium, and add the almond extract, sea salt, and marshmallows.
- Stir the mixture together until the marshmallows are completely melted. Add in the rice krispies and stir together until homogenous. Pour into the greased pan and let cool completely before slicing into large squares. ∎
Pistachio Olive Oil Cake with Orange Pistachio Glaze
Makes one 8" cake
Ingredients
For the cake
For the glaze
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350º and grease an 8" cake pan. In a medium-large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until light in color—about 3 minutes at a vigorous whisking pace. Slowly pour in the olive oil while continuing to whisk. Whisk for 2 minutes or so after all the oil has been added. Add in the milk, vanilla, almond extract, and pistachio paste, and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, pistachios, baking powder, and salt, and fold into the wet mixture using a spatula until fully combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean but glistening slightly. Let the cake cool completely before glazing.
- To make the glaze, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. If you like a thicker glaze, use less water—if you like a thinner coating, use more. Strain the glaze through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the zest and pistachio granules, then pour over the cooled cake. ∎
Roasted Strawberry Galette with Pistachio Mascarpone Whipped Cream
Makes one 8" galette. The pie crust is written using weight because you'll get a more consistent result.
Ingredients
For the pie dough
For the roasted strawberries
For the pistachio mascarpone whipped cream
Method
- Cut the butter into 1/4" chunks and freeze for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Toss the frozen butter in the flour, and use your hands to work the butter into the flour until you have an irregular mix of mostly coarse grains with some large-pea-sized chunks of butter.
- Sprinkle the vinegar over the mixture, along with 1 T of ice cold water. Toss to combine, then proceed adding about 1/2 T of water at a time while tossing and gently kneading the dough until it just sticks together when you squeeze it. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
- While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 425º. Toss the strawberries in the vegetable oil and roast for about 15 minutes, or until the strawberries have released some juice and browned a bit. Remove from the oven and toss with the brown sugar and flour. Let the mixture cool to room temp before proceeding. Lower the oven temp to 375º.
- After the dough has rested, roll it out into a circle that is 1/8" thick. Spread the roasted strawberries in the center of the dough, leaving about a 2" border. Fold the edges over the strawberry mixture. Egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the dough is a deep golden brown.
- While the tart cools, scald the heavy cream and the pistachio paste in a small saucepan. (Scalding is when you bring milk or cream to the point just before simmering.) Strain the heavy cream through a fine mesh sieve and refigerate until completely cold. Whip the cream, mascarpone cheese, and confectioner's sugar until it forms medium peaks. If you want to serve the galette warm (do it!), serve the mascarpone cream on the side—otherwise it will melt. If serving the galette at room temp, you can spread the cream over the galette. ∎
