Pistachio

About

Pistachio belongs to the cashew family and grows well in warm, dry, sunny climates such as those found in Turkey, Sicily, and California. The nut, technically a seed, has a flavor of wet wood and sap with mild spice and herb notes, a naturally sweet taste, and some sourness and bitterness concentrated in the skin; salt enhances its flavor considerably. Unlike cashews, pistachios retain much of their distinct flavor when ground into paste or butter. Pistachio oil has a vivid green color and captures the nut's flavor well; it is often used with beets or goat cheese, or drizzled over desserts.

Pairs well with pistachio

• CiLemonSicilian cannoli are filled with sweetened ricotta studded with candied lemon peel and chopped pistachio.
• CiOrangePistachio cream, made by grinding nuts with fat and sweetener into a paste, is a classic pairing with orange.
• WoAlmondPistachio is sometimes called "the green almond" since both are drupe fruits, though their flavors differ considerably-cheap pistachio ice…
• RoChocolateBittersweet chocolate bark studded generously with lightly toasted pistachios and sea salt is a simple, effective pairing.
• ChCheeseCassata, the traditional Sicilian dessert, combines nuts and cheese with citrus, pistachios, and sheep's-milk ricotta; candied fruit and…
• FfVanillaFoglie da tè are thin, vanilla-flavored Sicilian cookies studded with chopped pistachio, similar to the French langue du chat.
• FfHoneyA simple dish pairs honey, ideally a musky, orange-blossom-scented variety like wild lavender honey from Spain, drizzled on a plate,…
• RoSesamePistachio halva, a dense sesame-and-nut confection, is often paired with other nut-and-sesame candies in Turkish groceries, including…
• SpPeppercornIn Sicily, finely crushed pistachio is used as a condiment over grilled fish, particularly swordfish carpaccio with olive oil, lemon and…
• CrDateDates and pistachios are as naturally complementary as chocolate and hazelnut.
• FrPlumPistachio has been described as tasting of "sweet green sap," while raw plum carries a similar green sweetness leaning more toward grass.
• GrKaleA kale salad with fennel ribbons, kale chips and a sweet pistachio, crème fraîche, honey and lemon dressing works because the dressing's…
• RoMaple syrupAmber-grade maple syrup, moderate in color and flavor, pairs well with pistachio's fruit, nut and butter notes.
• SpAllspiceThe food writer Waverley Root described pistachios as having a naturally spicy quality; a pinch of allspice reinforces that character when…
• FrYogurtCommercial nut-flavored yogurts are uncommon, and not all "pistachio" products are actually flavored with pistachio, so a homemade…
• FrPomegranateScattered together over Greek yogurt, pistachio's green and pomegranate's pink create a striking visual pairing as much as a flavor one.