Creamy pasta with pistachios and pancetta

/5

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Tea Orizio

One of the easiest pasta dishes you'll ever made, creamy, enveloping, tasty, ready in 15 minutes. This authentic Italian recipe, known as "Pasta alla Brontese," hails from Bronte, a small town in Sicily famous for its luscious pistachios, often referred to as "oro verde" (green gold) due to their vibrant color.

Preparing creamy pasta with pistachios and pancetta is a breeze. Indulge in the delightful combination of flavors and textures: savory pancetta, crunchy pistachios, and a velvety, creamy sauce that coats every strand of pasta. Serve it to guests or enjoy it for a quick weekday dinner.

Check out more recipes with pistachios, such as:

 

INGREDIENTS
Pasta 0.75 lb (340 g)
Pistachios ¼ cup (50 g)
Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese ¼ cup (50 g)
Pancetta bacon 4 oz (100 g)
Onions 1 (30 g)
Heavy cream ⅓ cup (80 g)
White wine ½ glass (100 ml)
Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp (40 ml)
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper 1 pinch
Preparation

How to prepare Creamy pasta with pistachios and pancetta

Boil water in a large pot for the pasta. Once it's boiling, add salt and cook the pasta al dente, following the instructions on the package (approximately 2 minutes less than the recommended cooking time).

Chop the pistachios, preferably with a knife, and toast them in a dry pan until they become fragrant.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan, add diced pancetta, lower the heat, and let it become crispy (around 3 minutes). Remove the pancetta from the pan and place it on a plate.

In the same pan with the remaining bacon fat, add the chopped onion, mix, and cook for about 3 minutes to soften it without browning.

Add white wine, increase the heat, and let the alcohol evaporate (approximately 2 minutes).

Once it has evaporated, return the pancetta to the pan, reduce the heat and add the chopped toasted pistachios. Cook for 1 minute.

Then, add the heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of the pasta cooking water, and stir.

Drain the pasta directly into the sauce, add 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan and a pinch of ground black pepper. Stir and cook for another minute to combine the sauce. Adjust the moisture of the pasta by adding more cooking water if needed.

Serve the creamy pasta with pistachios and pancetta immediately. For extra flavor, you can sprinkle more chopped pistachios and Parmesan on top if desired.

How to store

We highly recommend enjoying the creamy pasta with pistachios and pancetta right away. It is best not to prepare it in advance. If you want to save the pasta for later, store it in a tightly covered glass container in the refrigerator for up to a day.

Advice

Pasta: We recommend spaghetti, but other shapes like penne or rigatoni work well too.

Bacon: Opt for high-quality Italian pancetta, and cut it into cubes. If unavailable, pre-cut bacon will suffice. Omit pancetta or bacon for a vegetarian dish.

Pistachios: We used whole Sicilian pistachios, but any shelled and unsalted variety will work. It's preferable to chop them by hand rather than using a food processor, as it may quickly turn the pistachios into powder. For an extra touch, sprinkle some chopped toasted pistachios on top: not only will they add a visually appealing garnish, but they'll also enhance both the flavor and presentation of the dish.

Heavy cream: Alternatively, fresh ricotta can also be used.