PisTaCHios I only started eating pistachios recently, when I forgot my snacks on a hike and shared my mother’s. After my first few bites of the pistachios, I wondered how I had gone so long without eating anything containing pistachios (minus the occasional treat of baklava from the local bakery). From then on, pistachios became a regular snack in my house, usually shelled with a bit of salt. I also am quite fond of pairing pistachios with chocolate and occasionally lemon. Pistachios have a unique, slightly sweet flavor with a lightness that is rivaled only by almonds. What we consider the pistachio nut is actually the kernel from the seed of a small flowering fruit tree. The kernels are grown in the safety of a husk and hard, tan shell, which can be opened easily enough by hand. Pistachio nuts are lovely: green with a thin purple skin. The pistachio is part of the cashew family, and both are related to poison ivy and sumac. Pistachios originated in the Middle East and Central Asia but are now grown around the world. They are highly marketed as a snack nut, sold both in and out of the shell. Pistachios are an excellent source of protein and high in healthy fats. Pistachios in the shell can be purchased at supermarkets and health food stores, both prepackaged and in bulk bins. Pistachios are more often than not sold roasted and salted but can be found raw. I’ve found that hunting down shelled raw pistachios isn’t always easy, but they can usually be found in the bulk-bin sections of health food stores or from online companies.
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Pistachio Meal and Flour When purchasing pistachios to make meal and flour, buy the unshelled, as shelling takes time. If I know that I’m going to make a recipe that requires pistachio meal, I will purchase unsalted raw pistachio nuts without the shell. Always look for the unsalted, as salted pistachios have a hefty amount of salt that can ruin a recipe. This flour is one of the only nut flours I use on its own in baked goods. I use a food processor to grind the pistachios in small batches to ensure I do not end up with pistachio butter. When sifted, pistachio meal creates a silky green flour; just be aware that this often results in green baked goods. Pistachio meal is one of my favorite additions to recipes. I enjoy subbing pistachio meal as part of the total amount of flour in muffin recipes and adding pistachio meal and milk to vanilla ice cream. I also sometimes sprinkle pistachio meal instead of granola over yogurt. Weights and Measurements 1 cup pistachios = 100 g 1 cup pistachio meal = 100 g 1 cup (100 g) pistachios = 1 cup (100 g) pistachio meal
THE HomEmadE FLoUR CooKBooK
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2/11/14 7:12 PM 2/11/14 7:10 PM (F39)_Job:01-40626 Title:FW-Homemade Flour CookBook (221)_02-AC70360 #175 Dtp:160 Page:194