Sicilian Pistachio Pasta

Pasta al Pistachio siciliano from Greenomic Delikatessen

Pasta al Pistachio siciliano from Greenomic Delikatessen is a delicate green ribbon pasta made from Italian durum wheat semolina with Sicilian pistachios in the dough. The ground kernels are incorporated into the dough, coloring it pale green and retaining their flavor during cooking.

Pasta al Pistachio siciliano is the flavored pasta from the Good Hair Day range, produced in Italy for Greenomic Delikatessen. Durum wheat semolina, water, and 10 percent ground pistachios create a dough of pale green, packaged in the colorful box featuring the hairstyle motif.

Delicate green, mild, and distinctly nutty

Even when dry, the pasta has a matte, gray-green tone, which intensifies after cooking and stands out immediately on a white plate. The scent from the pot is nutty and warm, similar to a bowl of freshly chopped kernels. On the table, the color looks festive without any need for further decoration.

When eating, the texture remains firm, and the nuttiness is mild and evenly distributed throughout the portion. Because the aroma remains subtle, this pasta requires a sauce that leaves it room to breathe. A plate of it is also more filling than the slim portion might suggest.

Little sauce, big impact

Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water for about seven minutes until al dente, and taste it occasionally, as fine varieties tend to soften more quickly. A spoonful of cooking water will then bind everything in the pan. Salt belongs in the water, not the sauce, otherwise the balance will be off.

Butter, grated Parmesan, and a splash of lemon are perfectly sufficient, or alternatively, a light cream sauce with lemon zest. Heavy meat sauces, on the other hand, mask the delicate aroma. A few coarsely chopped kernels at the end bring back the crunch that the dough alone does not provide, and boiled ham or young asparagus are also great accompaniments.

The pistachio and its two-year rhythm

Botanically, the pistachio is the kernel of a stone fruit, and its green color comes from chlorophyll, which is preserved during drying. In Sicily, the trees grow on the slopes of Mount Etna in old volcanic soil, where they thrive with little water and root deeply. The weathered lava soil there is considered the reason for the kernels' intense aroma.

Harvesting only takes place every other year because the blossoms are removed in the intermediate year, allowing the tree to produce stronger kernels. This effort is the reason for the price, and it explains why a pasta with a decent kernel content is not an everyday item. Greenomic Delikatessen has the range produced by an Italian manufacturer specialized in such flavored doughs.

A gift that stands out on the shelf

The box with the hairstyle motif stands upright on the shelf and needs no gift wrap if you are giving it away. For those who enjoy good food and have no preference for sweets, this is a gift that will actually be used. Stored in a cool, dark place, the unopened box will keep until the printed date. For a meal with guests, count on a good hundred grams per person, which leaves enough room for dessert.

Further varieties in the range can be found in the Good Hair Day Pasta collection, and the matching sauce can be found in the Pesto by Greenomic Delikatessen collection.