Pasta with Pistachio Pesto

My delicious pasta with pistachio pesto has bags of flavour. Fragrant and nutty it has a wonderful texture, colour and taste. The pesto is quick and versatile and pairs with so many things other than pasta too. But for a simple, speedy bowl of goodness this bowl of pasta is just the ticket.

I won't lie, I accidentally bought a giant packet of pistachios online recently for a recipe that needed about 1/4 cup. Pistachio are not cheap and I needed some ideas to use them up. I was reminded of an amazing pistachio sauce I was served in Italy last year. I was served this sauce with a delicious piece of fish. It was a simple pesto so I knew it would also be delicious with pasta.

Pesto pasta is quick and easy, and my most eaten lunchtime solution. Making a pesto is as quick as cooking the pasta so there's no waiting around, it's fast and flavourful. I've made this pesto a few times now and never really have the same recipe. I have experimented with all manner of herbs like oregano, marjoram, thyme, mint and basil. I have to say the basil version is best, but I like to have a combination of parsley and basil so that the pistachio shines through more. This recipe is probably my favourite combination, but feel free to change up the herbs you use.

What's Ahead?

What is Pesto?

In italian, the word "pesto" comes from the Italian verb "pestare," which means "to pound" or "to crush".

We often assume Pesto relates to the classic Ligurian dish 'Pesto Genovese' a blend of basil, pine nuts and cheese, but a pesto can contain many ingredients like arugula, spinach, cavolo nero, cilantro, or sundried tomatoes, and different nuts like walnuts, almonds and pistachio.

Why it works?

It's quick and easy - Making your own pistachio pesto is fast and simple and can be speedily made using a pestle and mortar or a blender/food processor. It's then simply stirred into hot pasta with a little pasta water. Too easy!

Stuff You'll Need

There are only a few ingredients to make this tasty pesto sauce, all easily available at any supermarket.

• Pistachio nuts - unsalted and shelled.
• Basil and Parsley - I like to combine the two so that basil isn't the dominant flavour. I want the pistachio to shine through, so using less basil means this can happen.
• Garlic - adds its fragrance to the sauce
• Pecorino Cheese - I prefer Pecorino Romano but you can also use Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano or a combination of all three! Finey grate the cheese or cut into chunks.
• Extra virgin Olive Oil - Best quality for this recipe as it's not cooked, so a good flavoured oil makes all the difference.
• Pasta - your choice, it'll pair with anything - dried or fresh.

Step by Step

Making this pesto pasta is not hard - It's quick whichever way you make it, but I prefer using a pestle & mortar as I can control the texture. You can use a stick blender, nutri bullet or food processor too.

Pestle & Mortar Pesto

1. Step 1 - Pound the nuts until coarse then add the garlic and pound for a little longer.
2. Step 2 - Add the parsley and basil and pound until the leaves are smooth and completely broken up.
3. Step 3 - Add the cheese and pound again until it's completely blended in.
4. Step 4 - Gradually stir in the oil until it's all emulsified and creamy. Season with a little salt & pepper.

Food Processor/Blender Pesto

• Step 1 - Add the nuts, garlic, basil, parsley and cheese to the food processor and begin blending.
• Step 2 - As it's blending, begin to pour in the olive oil in a thin stream until it's all incorporated. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Making the pasta

• Step 1 - Cook your pasta in salted water to the packet instructions then drain, retaining up to 2 cups of the cooking liquid.
• Step 2 - Tip the pasta into a deep frying pan over a low heat and add most of the pesto. Pour in around 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid and stir quickly to create an emulsified, creamy sauce. Add more cooking liquid if it dries out too much. That's it!

Serve hot in bowls, topped with a little more pesto.

Pro Tips

• Pasta cooking water is the secret to a good pesto pasta. Pasta is a sponge for liquid and can quickly dry out any sauce added to it. Pesto doesn't have enough liquid in it to create a creamy consistency so a little hot cooking water will melt the cheese in the pesto and emulsify with the olive oil to create the creamiest consistency.

Serving & Storage Suggestions

This recipe is best eaten right away, piping hot. But pesto and pasta are great as a room temperature pasta salad. I like to use fussili (spirals) or farfalle (bows) mixed with pesto and fresh veg like cooked zucchini, eggplant and fresh or semi-sundried tomatoes with a hit of lemon zest.

• Storing leftovers - they'll be ok sealed in the fridge for a couple of days, but will lose the creaminess. Still great flavour, but you'll sacrifice texture. I wouldn't recommend freezing this pesto pasta.
• Refrigerating Pesto - pesto will be good in the fridge (in a jar or sealed container) for up to 2 weeks. Pour over more olive oil to cover and protect the surface and it'll stay fresher for longer.
• Freezing Pesto - pesto will freeze well in small sealed containers for 3+ months. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge before using. DO NOT defrost in the microwave as it will cook the herbs and destroy the fresh flavour.

Ready to get cooking?

Pesto pasta is one of the easiest sauces to make at home. Other than the pasta, there's no cooking to be done. Pistachios in particular bring an amazing fragrance and flavour to this pesto making it something a little different from the regular basil pesto we know and love.

It's my go-to sauce for lunch or a simple, fuss-free weekday dinner and never fails to hit the spot for flavour, fragrance and texture. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do...!

More Italian recipes

If you liked my Pasta Pistachio Pesto, I'm sure you'll love some more of my favourite Italian recipes.

• Italian Sausage & Lentils
  
• Taralli Pugliesi
  
• Gramigna Pasta with Sausage
  
• Pinsa Romana
  
• Nduja Risotto
  
• Radicchio Pasta with Guanciale, Gorgonzola & Walnuts
  
• Paccheri Pasta with Neapolitan Ragù
  
• Italian Porchetta
  
• Vitello Tonnato (Veal with Tuna & Anchovy Sauce)
  
• Pasta with Salami
  
• Anelletti Al Forno – Oven Baked Pasta Rings

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