How to eat pistachios

Pistachio in the kitchen

Uses of pistachios

Pistachios are a food widely used in countless elaborations, thanks to the wide range of possibilities offered. Some of the many possible uses that can be done with this food are:

– Crushed, powdered, peeled, shelled, raw, roasted, fried, salted, in the form of pistachio oil, etc.

– As an appetizer, fried or roasted and salted or unsalted.

– To batter.

– As a base ingredient in salads (chopped or whole), pies, desserts, in the muesli, sauces, etc.

– As ornament in pastry, to decorate cakes, fruit desserts, muffins cakes, baklava, etc.

– For all types of preparations with vegetables, rice, pasta, etc.

Ice cream or mixed with yogurt.

– Extraction of oil for culinary preparations (ice cream, cakes, sauces,…) for its exquisite sweet flavor, Because of its exquisite and sweet taste, plus a very striking intense green color.

– At topical level, as a result of its soothing and moisturizing action.

Conservation of pistachios

If the shell is not open, you should not eat the dried fruit, since it is likely to be still green and unripe.

Pistachios absorb moisture, so they must be stored in a cool, dry place, away from the light that can oxidize and. By doing this,this food will not become rancid closed, because of its high fat content, will remain in good consumption during months..

They can be kept for a month and a half in a refrigerator or up to one year in the freezer.

Tips on pistachios

– To remove the shell more easily, you can press it, levering with half a shell of another pistachio.

– In order to separate them from their skin, they should be blanched briefly, dry them in the oven or in a pan without oil or anything, wait to cool and peel.

– To measure them, we must consider two glasses filled with shelled pistachios are comparable to a full glass of unshelled peeled pistachios.

– If they are excessively spicy, they quickly pass from a separate and grainy texture, to a uniform, sticky and buttery one.

What pistachios should we choose?

All nuts that retain their shell, have longer life and can be kept for a longer time than those sold already peeled. In the case of pistachios, of course, it is the same.

If they are raw, choose pale green color, with no stains or fungi

When we find them without the shell, we must choose those that are more whole, instead of those in halves or pieces, because the quality decreases and defects raise when the fractionation of dried fruit in general is higher, and specifically in case of Pistachio.

It is better to choose packaged products, vacuum-packed, tinned,… with a sanitary hygiene checked. We cannot trust so much those nuts that are sold in bulk without proper packaging, or without good conservation (too much light exposed), or without sufficient output and product renewal (open for long periods).

Some pistacho recipes

Pistachio sauce

Pistachio drink

Goat cheese breaded with pistachios.

Pistachio candies

More information on pistachios.

This article was endorsed by Elisenda Carballido - Dietitian nutritionist. Postgraduate in Phytotherapy and master in Nutrition and Metabolism.
Editorial
Written by Editorial Botanical-online team in charge of content writing

9 July, 2024

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