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Pasta with Pistachio Pesto
This nutty and creamy Sicilian pesto is a delicious alternative to basil pesto. Your family and guests are bound to love it!
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 3
Calories: 1056 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Mediterranean , Italian
Ingredients
- 400 g pasta spaghetti, scialatielli or spaghetti alla chitarra
- 200 g pistachios preferably unsalted & untoasted
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 40 g Parmesan or Pecorino grated
- salt for pasta and to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put a pot of water onto boil for the pasta. Add salt once the water starts to boil and bring to the boil again.
- Put the pistachios into a bowl of boiling water for 3 minutes , drain them and wipe them with a cloth to remove most of the skin covering them.
- Put the pistachios in a blender or food processor, add the grated cheese and 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- As you start to blend/pulse add the rest of the extra virgin olive oil until you get a dense pesto. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the packet. Save a cup of the pasta cooking water and drain the pasta and return it to the pan.
- Add some of the pasta cooking water to the pesto to make it a little more liquidy and creamier.
- Then add the pistachio pesto to the pasta and mix together well.
- Serve immediately with extra grated cheese as required.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- If you cannot find Sicilian pistachios, any good, uncooked pistachios work well too. If uncooked pistachios aren’t available you can try toasted ones, but preferably unsalted.
- This recipe is traditionally served with spaghetti but you can also use other thin long pasta such as spaghetti alla chitarra, linguine or scialatielli, as I did.
Nutrition Information
Calories
1056kcal
(53%)
Carbohydrates
118g
(39%)
Protein
36g
(72%)
Fat
51g
(78%)
Saturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
12g
Monounsaturated Fat
28g
Cholesterol
9mg
(3%)
Sodium
223mg
(9%)
Potassium
993mg
(28%)
Fiber
11g
(44%)
Sugar
9g
(18%)
Vitamin A
381IU
(8%)
Vitamin C
4mg
(4%)
Calcium
256mg
(26%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 3Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1056
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 1056kcal | 53% |
| Carbohydrates | 118g | 39% |
| Protein | 36g | 72% |
| Fat | 51g | 78% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 12g | 71% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 28g | 140% |
| Cholesterol | 9mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 223mg | 9% |
| Potassium | 993mg | 21% |
| Fiber | 11g | 44% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 381IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 256mg | 26% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.