Parmesan and Pistachio Orecchiette

This creamy parmesan and pistachio orecchiette is the right mix of simple ingredients and big flavor!

So, I’m cruising along the interwebs the other day and I stumbled upon a recipe for orecchiette pasta.

A pasta recipe that’s main ingredient is pistachio nuts.

Now lemme tell you.

I can barrel through a bag of salted pistachio nuts—shells on—in less time than it would take the average person to, well, do almost anything.

They’re goooooood.

The thought of marrying pistachios with pasta seems divine … perhaps only bested by pistachios and chocolate, but pretty much anything is better with chocolate, right?

I found the recipe in question on the blog Wishes and Dishes, and Ashley (from that blog) found the recipe in a cookbook called The Frankies Sputino – Kitchen Companion and Cooking Manual.

Are you ready for parmesan and pistachio orecchiette?

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Parmesan Pistachio Orecchiette

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This creamy parmesan and pistachio orecchiette is the right mix of simple ingredients and big flavor!

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Ingredients

• 1 pound dry orecchiette
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 1-1/2 cups salted pistachios, roughly chopped (Tip: buy them already shelled!)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped mint
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan & Romano cheeses
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water

Instructions

Fill a large pot with water, add the salt and then bring it to a boil.

Add the orechiette and cook until it’s al dente, about 11 minutes, then drain it. Don’t forget to save 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining the orecchiette! Add the pasta back to the pot and reduce the heat to low.

Combine the olive oil, garlic, mint, cheese and pistachios in a mixing bowl, then add the mixture to the orecchiette along with the pasta water. Keep stirring until it’s mixed well and a creamy sauce starts to develop.

Fold in the onions, and then serve the pasta warm with extra cheese and mint for garnish.

Did you make this recipe?

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