I’ve got something so simply magical to share with you guys today! Pistachio pistou – or otherwise known as the stuff you’re going to be putting on everything all summer long! Pistou is a Provençal blend of herbs similar to pesto. It’s a pretty flexible recipe so feel free to play with summer’s big bounty of herbs or use what you have on hand. I used tarragon for the first time and now I can’t get enough of it! Since we’re just using a handful of ingredients here we really want the ones we pick to shine and be of best quality – which is where this lovely olive oil comes in! So when Olive Crate, a local (Waxhaw, NC) artisan producer and importer of single estate extra virgin Greek olive oil and organic balsamic vinegars told me about their oil I was beyond intrigued – I had to try some! Their 600 acre olive grove estate is located in southern Greece and has been in the Kostouros family for more than six generations! The olives are picked when they are perfectly sun-ripened and then immediately cold-pressed, resulting in the most lush, light, fruity and buttery olive oil I’ve had. It tastes like love and sunshine, seriously so good. I’ve included 3 different ways you can enjoy this pistou but the possibilities are endless with this stuff – I can’t wait to put it on some grilled veggies or maybe some fish or a spoonful in some soup, as is the tradition. But here it is on fresh pasta, as a dip for bread and as a salad dressing. All together a simple meal but Mark and I both agreed it was one of the best tasting ones we’ve had in a while. Oh and Olive Crate is offering a 10% discount on any online order, just enter code: EARTHY10 at checkout!
Ingredients for the Pistou
about 1.5 cups, (packed) of herbs like basil, parsley, tarragon
zest of half a lemon, juice of a whole lemon
about 1/3 cup of roasted pistachios
about 5 garlic cloves
pinch of salt, some fresh ground pepper
extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 to 1/3 cup
Directions
I roasted the garlic first to let the other delicate flavors shine but if you like a little punch just add it in raw. If your using it raw, I would just use one or two cloves. If you’re roasting the garlic, heat a small pan on low to medium heat with a little dab of butter or olive oil. Toast the garlic, flipping after a couple minutes so both sides get tender and light brown and fragrant. After the garlic is toasted you can simply blend all the ingredients, except the oil and salt and pepper in your food processor or grind using a mortar and pestle. I like to keep the mixture pretty rough so I can see all the different texture bits – it only takes a couple seconds in the food processor. After it’s blended to your preferred consistency place the herb mixture on a plate or in a bowl and add the olive oil and a couple fresh grinds of salt and pepper to taste. Serve with bread as a dip or toss the pistou with your favorite pasta.
Directions for the Salad Dressing
For the salad dressing I simply dressed the greens in the pistou sauce and added a few splashes of Olive Crate’s Organic Balsamic Vinegar - I was not prepared for how good this balsamic vinegar would be, I could drink it straight from the bottle! I’ll be dressing all my summer salads with it for sure!
Notes
This was my first time making homemade pasta! I’m in love! It was so easy too! Just the confidence boost I need in my life right now. If you’re up for making your own, I followed this recipe and this one as well. It’s worth it, I promise!
Special thanks to Olive Crate for generously sharing their oil and balsamic vinegars with me! If you’re in the area make sure to check them out at the Waxhaw farmer’s market every Saturday as well as at the following locations in the area: The Butchers Market, Pasta and Provisions, Grace Roots Farm in Waxhaw
Enter code EARTHY10 at checkout for 10% off any online order.