Fusilli with pistachio pesto and lemon zest
I first had pistachio pesto at my dear friend Anita’s hotel, the Principe di Salina, on the island of Salina, and this is an interpretation I made as soon as I got home and was longing to be back there. Anita’s mother, Silvana, a cardiovascular surgeon turned chef, does all the cooking and makes a fabulous version with fusilli lunghi – tight long coils of pasta that scoop up the pesto perfectly and are a joy to eat. A pesto made with pistachios has a more subtle flavour than the traditional Genovese pesto with pine nuts, but that is what makes this dish so delicious and special. Because you don’t want to mask the subtle flavour of the pistachios there is far less garlic and – more importantly – basil than in a regular pesto, so if you want to obtain a vibrant green colour it’s necessary to skin the pistachios first. I used to do this, but I don’t any more as I actually prefer the texture of bone-dry pistachios and find the pesto is colourful enough without the hassle of removing the skins.
VARIATION: To add a touch of salty protein to the pasta, roughly chop or dice 100 g (3½ oz) streaky pancetta. Fry in a small frying pan until crispy, then drain on a plate lined with paper towel and set aside. Sprinkle over the pasta at the last possible moment.
Next, why not try more fast, simple dinner recipes from the House & Garden recipe archive?
This is an extract from Amber Guinness's new book Italian Coastal: Recipes and Stories from Where the Land Meets the Sea
About the author
‘It was as I bobbed in the crystal-clear waters off Punta Scario beach on the island of Salina that I truly began to appreciate the magical and restorative powers of the Tyrrhenian Sea,' says Amber Guinness in her new collection of transportive recipes and stories, Italian Coastal. Amber is an English cook and food writer living in Florence. Her first book, A House Party in Tuscany featured anecdotes and recipes from her acclaimed art course Arniano.
What you'll need
Fusilli with pistachio pesto and lemon zest
Ingredients
For the pistachio pesto
For the pasta
Preparation
Method
Step 1
To make the pesto, roughly chop half the pistachios in a food processor, making sure they retain some texture. Set aside in a bowl. Add the rest of the pistachios to the processor, along with the basil, garlic, olive oil, salt, lemon zest and juice, and blitz until smooth. Add to the roughly chopped pistachios. Stir in the parmesan and an extra drizzle of olive oil, then leave to infuse for 30 minutes. (If you omit the parmesan you can freeze the pesto, then add it to the thawed pesto before serving.)
Step 2
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and give it a good stir so that it doesn’t stick together, then cook until al dente (about 9 minutes, but check the packet instructions). Towards the end of the cooking time, scoop out a mugful of the starchy pasta water in case it’s needed.
Step 3
Drain the pasta and toss in a serving dish with the pesto and a little of the pasta water to bring it together. Finish with a final drizzle of olive oil, top with extra parmesan and serve immediately.
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