Today, I offer another glimpse into our wonderful autumn trip to Sicily. “Going Green” isn’t for St. Patrick (sorry!) but for Sicily’s most celebrated nutmeat!
On this trip abroad, for the first time, we all opted to arrive on a Friday instead of the usual Saturday. Why? Because many times we have arrived late and tired on a Saturday, only to learn of a weekend sagra or festival, and we missed it.
Soon into our planning, we discovered that early arrival was a good idea! The Sagra di Pistacchio in the town of Bronte was to take place our very first weekend in Sicily. Bronte is famous for its pistachios – greener than any we see in the United States – and was just on the other side of Mount Etna from where we were staying.
Like many sagre, this one was a small town affair. While there were some tourists, we could see that many local families were out enjoying the festivities. Booths lined the main street, and offered for sale a variety of locally made crafts, foods, preserves and liqueurs. This sagra has kept up with the times; pretty horrific Italo-pop music blasted from loudspeakers along the winding main street.
We each had a wonderful pistachio arancino; these are deep-fried rice balls filled with a creamy pistachio filling. We sampled a pistachio liqueur, pistachio bread, pistachio cake, and a few other mostly-pistachio treats.
There was a pretty demonstration of regional folk dances, and we ducked into museums, beautiful churches, and enjoyed incredible sunshine that first day in Sicily. One of the museum guides we met recommended a restaurant for lunch. Even after testing all those local specialties, we were still up for a nice meal!
Off to Ristorante Pepe Rosa we went. After determining we didn’t have a reservation, our hostess led us up two small sets of stairs, through a vaulted central room, to a back room, where there was a lovely table already set for eight. She explained to us that today’s offering was a three-course festival menu, and we would all be having the same thing… and it included plenty of wine for all!
The menu opened with meat-filled ravioli topped with pistachio pesto. The next course was a succulent pork roast served with pistachio cream and roasted potatoes. The meal finished with large fresh and crisp cannoli with pistachios. The food, service, and ambience were just perfect!
Naturally, we all bought goodies at the festival to bring back… vacuum-packed pistachios, pistachio cream, pistachio pesto, chocolate with pistachio, and pistachio bread. Personally, I looked forward to re-creating the pistachio pesto using the nuts I brought back from Bronte!
Which brings us to today’s recipe: pistachio pesto. It is more delicate than the traditional Genovese pesto, and is made with a milder cheese and no garlic, so as not to overwhelm the subtle flavor of the pistachios.
There is an enduring debate among the locals as to whether the pistachios should be toasted or raw when making this pesto. Having made it both ways, I prefer them lightly toasted. It brings out more flavor from the nuts.
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| Thanks to Markipedia for this wonderful church interior in Bronte. |
Thanks for joining me for another tour of a special little corner of Sicily.
~ David
Pesto di Pistacchio
12 ounces spaghetti
2 ounces shelled pistachios, lightly toasted
1 bunch parsley
3.5 ounces semi-aged pecorino or others sheep’s cheese
extra virgin olive oil, as needed
salt
freshly ground black pepper
First, put water on to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, make the pistachio and parsley pesto. Wash and dry the parsley well. Add the pistachios, parsley and cheese cut into small cubes into the bowl of a food processor.
Process the ingredients, adding as much oil as needed gradually, until the mixture is smooth and even. Cook the spaghetti and drain quickly, keeping a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water. Transfer pasta to a warmed serving bowl, and mix in the pesto, adding a tablespoon of oil, the two tablespoons of cooking water and a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper.
Serves 4.
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John | heneedsfood
March 16, 2019 at 9:52 pmThanks so much for introducing me to a part of Sicily I haven't been to yet! Such a wonderful place.
I've tried peanut pesto before, but never pistachio. I already love it, and I haven't even tried it!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 17, 2019 at 2:53 pmI have been enjoying all varieties of pesto lately, John. This one is very delicate and so good!
Eha
March 16, 2019 at 11:13 pmWhat a treat in travel and food this Sunday morning post is! Cherishing the photos of a place to which I have not been. And can try the pesto soonest as have everything needed at home: tonight perchance 🙂 ! Love pistachios, wonder whether I'll miss the garlic and like the amount of parsley you have used. Just wish one did not have to part with an arm and a leg to buy these beauties here . . . thanks!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 17, 2019 at 2:55 pmI hope you enjoyed it, dear! As I wrote this post months ago, it wasn’t fun for me to see all the photos again. It made me realize why we take travel photos – tons transported to magical places any day of the year!
Unknown
March 17, 2019 at 10:50 amYour posts, pictures, and recipes are marvelous. Wish I could join you on your travels!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 17, 2019 at 2:55 pmThanks so much! We really do enjoy exploring new places and meeting new people!
Ron
March 17, 2019 at 11:01 amA lovely tour you've taken me on this morning and then sharing a dish I've not had. Your Pesto di Pistacchio looks lovely and very tasty. tohaven't visit there so it's so wonderful to read your travel post.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 17, 2019 at 2:56 pmRon, I hope you get to Sicily soon. They say it’s being “discovered” and will soon be overrun with tourists!
Susan
March 17, 2019 at 11:22 amI LOVE pistachios and this recipe looks so delicious – and your photos of the festival are wonderful! My student recently returned from Greece and brought me the most wonderful pistachios I have ever tasted – apparently grown on an island that produces much of the world's pistachio crop!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 17, 2019 at 2:57 pmThanks, Susan! I did not know that Greece grew pistachios – but it makes sense considering they are used in baklava. Turkey is a big grower, too, but the variety is very different in Sicily!
2pots2cook
March 17, 2019 at 11:48 amThere is something really special about pistachios: could be used in so many various dishes, both sweet and savoury …
While reading this post, I can really feel the love you have for Sicily 🙂 🙂 :-)Thank you for the beauty brought up today David !
Cocoa & Lavender
March 17, 2019 at 2:59 pmI agree, Davorka! I love them in both savory and sweet dishes equally. The dinner we had at the festival was the perfect Illustration!
I did love Sicily – I knew I would but my feelings were even stronger once there!
Frank
March 17, 2019 at 12:48 pmI must have been Sicilian in a previous life because I absolutely lurve pistachios! Even as a kid, pistachio ice cream was my favorite flavor! And today, I could eat a whole bag of pistachios if left to my own devices, so I can just imagine how delicious this pesto is…
Cocoa & Lavender
March 17, 2019 at 3:00 pmPistachio ice cream was my favorite, too, … well, next to licorice ice cream (thank you Baskin-Robbins!). We get wonderful pistachios here in the desert, too, and we go through them so fast!
Gerlinde de Broekert
March 17, 2019 at 2:18 pmSicily is on my bucket list. I love all your photos and your pesto looks divine. My kind of green.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 17, 2019 at 3:01 pmYou should definitely get to Sicily as soon as you can, Gerlinde! Especially before the Rick Steves tours begin!
Kelly | Foodtasia
March 18, 2019 at 11:59 amDavid, this pasta looks so delicious! Love how the delicate flavor of the pistachios is able to shine through!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 19, 2019 at 2:09 pmThanks, Kelly – I do love the flavor of pistachios!
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
March 18, 2019 at 1:02 pmLove pistachios and never knew they grew them in Sicily! My lucky high school niece is studying there this year with AFS!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 19, 2019 at 2:10 pmOh, my – she IS lucky! Where is she studying? You should go visit her, Inger. (Just a suggestion!)
Nutmeg
March 19, 2019 at 12:59 amI have never heard of pistachio pesto but it sounds delicious!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 19, 2019 at 2:10 pmThanks, Carolyne – it is!
Fran @ Gday Souffle
March 19, 2019 at 6:39 pmWow- a shoe made of pistachios- what's next! My husband loves pistachios and I must admit, his 'crunching' noises while he eats, gets on my nerves. So, substituting your pesto for the raw nuts might solve my problem!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 21, 2019 at 2:28 pmMark eats pistachios every evening when he gets home… luckily, the only noise is cracking them! Hope the pesto works for you!
Valentina
March 20, 2019 at 5:00 amI love hearing about your Italian travels. And even more, I love pistachios! The agra di Pistacchio sounds like so much fun, music and all. 🙂 I'm definitely going to try this pesto. Can't wait.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 21, 2019 at 2:29 pmIt was really a blast, Valentina – we really enjoy those small town festivals, especially when they are food-centric!
Kitchen Riffs
March 20, 2019 at 3:55 pmSounds like a delightful time! Fun read about a fun trip. And such a nice recipe! I've had pistachio pesto in restaurants — it's good. Never made it myself though. Can't believe I havne't! But I will. 🙂 — John
Cocoa & Lavender
March 21, 2019 at 2:30 pmJohn – I have never seen this in a restaurant! Not in the U.S., anyway… we need more good Italian places, obviously. Hope you enjoy it!
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
March 21, 2019 at 4:30 pmDavid, beautiful. And no garlic! Love pistachios. Yes, this is going on my must-make list. Thanks, too, for the mini vacation today!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 25, 2019 at 2:46 pmAnd I didn't even take out the garlic, Jean – no respectable Italian would add the dreaded G to this recipe… Some things call for subtlety!
Marcelle
March 25, 2019 at 4:03 pmWow, what luck to be there in time for a pistachio festival! I love pistachios and some of the products you describe sound heavenly to me. I can't wait to try this pest! Looks like a simple meal, but I just know it's going to taste incredible. You took some really beautiful pictures of the festivities, David!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 26, 2019 at 12:58 pmThat is exactly why we went a day early this time – just in case there was a festival! (In Italy, there ALWAYS seems to be a festival of some sort!)
Karen (Back Road Journal)
March 29, 2019 at 8:49 pmI've not been to Sicily but will be in Taormina for one day on this year's cruise. I hope we experience a lunch as wonderful as the one you had on your visit. Love all your wonderful photos and recipe…sounds great.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 1, 2019 at 9:03 pmKaren – I will send you a restaurant recommendation for Taormina! Even though you only have one day in Sicily, I know you will enjoy it!
Emma @ Bake Then Eat
April 14, 2019 at 4:46 amI love pistachios and this spaghetti looks amazing. I love Italy so much so I know I would love this festival.
Cocoa & Lavender
April 14, 2019 at 4:14 pmThe festivals in Italy are so wonderful and genuine… I know you would love it!