Original and full of taste, it is the perfect condiment for a dish that transports you to Sicily and takes you back to the holidays
Have you returned from holidays, but you still don't want to know that the summer period is definitely over? In this case prepare a dish that reminds you of August, nice dinners with friends, the sweet sea breeze and the scent of Mediterranean scrub: everything can help you find your good mood. Are you looking for an idea? The spaghetti with pistachio pesto and bottarga they are the right dish to soothe a little nostalgia for the summer time just passed.
Pistachios from Bronte: how they can be recognized
There are different types of pistachios on the market, but that of Bronte it is by far the sweetest and most fragrant. To recognize it, you have to pay attention to four details: the shape, color, flavor and, if these indications are not enough, the package label. But let's see in detail. Shape: the Bronte pistachio is elongated. Not round, long. If it is shelled, it is quickly recognized. If you find it closed in the shell, the ends are never very pronounced and turned upwards. Color: the skin is a deep purple, like that of an aubergine. Underneath, however, the fruit is bright green, emerald. No yellowish hue, present instead in pistachios originating from Greece. The taste: the Bronte pistachio is the sweetest. A delicate but persistent sweetness, which makes you want to eat one after the other. If all these clues weren't enough to recognize him, then take a good look the label. Do not be misled by the words "Bronte" or Sicilian Pistachio. They could be fruits from the Agrigento or Raffadali area. The quality of the product must be specified, with the brand Pistachio of Bronte PDO.
Bottarga, the caviar of the Mediterranean
An intense amber color, a penetrating perfume and a taste that cannot be forgotten: the bottarga it is unique in the Italian gastronomic panorama, also for the care it takes to produce it. It is obtained from the drying and salting of mullet or tuna roe and is produced only in some areas: Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany and Calabria. Its production dates back to the time of the Phoenicians, when fishermen extracted the ovarian sac of female fish (tuna or mullet) and, after washing it, put it in salt and left it to mature for a long time. Even today the procedure has remained the same, as well as the final result.
The recipe for pistachio and bottarga pesto
Here's how to use pistachios and bottarga to prepare an unusual pesto to season pasta with.
Ingredients
200 g unroasted Bronte PDO shelled pistachios, 40 g of Parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 clove of garlic, pasta cooking water, grated bottarga, fresh basil leaves, 400 g of spaghetti.
Method
First, chop the pistachios with oil, parmesan and garlic. Season with salt and mix well to obtain a cream. If necessary, add a tablespoon of pasta cooking water. Meanwhile, cook the pasta, drain it al dente and toss with the pesto. Mix well and then sprinkle with the grated bottarga and a few leaves of fresh basil. If you prefer, thinly slice the bottarga instead of grating it. Serve immediately.
In the tutorial some more tips for a super dish
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