You know what the great thing is about making a pesto out of pistachios instead of pine nuts? It takes much longer for it to get all brown and gnarly looking because the vibrant green of the pistachios hides the quick oxidation of the basil. So it can keep for two weeks or longer in the fridge before it starts looking unappetizing. That's on top of the fact that it just tastes better...but I might be a little biased since pistachios are my favorite nut, followed closely by cashews, then walnuts.
I love pesto because it's so easy to make, takes maybe 10 minutes, and yet is so versatile. Gone are the days of buying those tiny, expensive jars of shelf-stable pesto in the pasta aisle of the grocery store! The thought of how those manufacturers were able to keep it so green at room temperature for months on end makes me absolutely cringe. Ah well. Been there, done that and now I've found the light.
You can use this pesto in a variety of different dishes, but I personally love it as the sauce on pizza, as the spread on a caprese sandwich, or atop any kind of pasta.
Notes:
Yields about 1 cup, give or take a little depending on how much you pack the ingredients.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw, unsalted, shelled pistachios
1 cup fresh basil, packed
1/2 cup grated parmesan
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions:
Lightly toast the pistachios in a frying pan on medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until fragrant. Let cool.
Place basil, pistachios, parmesan, garlic, and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times until everything is combined and chopped into small pieces. With the food processor going, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Keep pulsing until the mixture comes together to your desired consistency.