Pistachio Pasta

This dish is super easy to make and absolutely delicious, thanks to its rich and velvety pistachio cream sauce—a delightful discovery I first came across in beautiful Sicily. It's the perfect meal after a sports activity, as it's both nourishing and deeply satisfying. As a bonus, kids love it too!

It also makes a wonderful main dish for a cozy stay-at-home date night, bringing a touch of indulgence and Italian charm to your evening.

Serves 4 adults

Prep Time: 15 min

Make ahead cook time: 12 min after prep

Steps Video at the bottom

Ingredients:

(olive oil, salt and pepper)

• 1 knob of butter

• 1 onion, finely chopped (or 6 tablespoons frozen chopped onion)

• 120g ham, chopped into small bits

• 200g shelled pistachios (chopped into ground pistachios using a food processor)

• 300ml double cream

• 450g farfalle pasta (butterfly pasta)

• 1 mug of pasta cooking water (reserved)

• Grated Parmesan, to taste

Method:

1. Heat a little olive oil and a knob of butter in a pan. Add the chopped onion and fry until translucent.

2. Add the ham and cook for a couple minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.

4. After a few minutes, add the ground pistachios to the pan, reserving a couple of tablespoons for garnish.

5. Stir in the double cream and gently heat, keeping the sauce warm over very low heat. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package instructions for al dente (but double-check). Before draining, reserve a mug of pasta water.

7. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Pour in half of the reserved pasta water and mix well. If the sauce is too dry, add a little more water until the consistency is just right.

8. Serve topped with the reserved ground pistachios, freshly ground black pepper and grated Parmesan.

Serving Tips:

Drizzle with a little olive oil for a glossy finish.

We love adding a sprinkle of chili flakes for a touch of heat!

Tips & Tricks:

This pasta cools down quickly, so to keep it warm longer, preheat the serving dishes in the oven at 50°C or put them under hot water for a few minutes.

It freezes well! Store leftover pasta in single-portion containers. When ready to eat, thoroughly defrost and reheat with a splash of milk to loosen the sauce. A perfect quick meal for a child!

To remember to save the pasta water, place your colander in the sink with a mug on top. When you go to drain the pasta, the mug on the way will remind you to scoop out the water first!

Make-Ahead Meals Steps: Save time by preparing the pistachio cream sauce in advance!Cook the sauce up to step 5, then turn off the heat, let the pan cool, and store it in the fridge.

When you're ready to eat, boil the pasta and gently reheat the sauce.Continue from step 6.

Dinner’s ready in the time it takes to cook the pasta, perfect for busy evenings or effortless hosting.

This Pistachio Pasta is so good, it might just bring tears of joy. Creamy, comforting, and full of rich pistachio flavor, it's a dish worthy of emperors. A little taste of Sicilian magic, right at your table.

Happy Cooking!