Sicily's pistachio tradition lives in the hills above Catania, on a volcanic soil that gives the Bronte nut an intensity others do not have. The pesto made from those pistachios is sharper and greener than hazelnut cream, with a bitterness that does not disappear when it hits pasta water. It gets interesting.
This sauce does not need cream. The technique is the same as pesto genovese: take the pan off the heat, add the pesto, add pasta water, toss until it coats. The starch in the water does the emulsifying. What comes out is a sauce that clings without sitting heavy on the plate.
Chopped pistachios on top are not decoration. They change the texture of every bite.
Set servings and units first. You can change them anytime.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt generously.
Cook 11 oz of Gusta fusilli for 9 minutes.
Reserve 1 1/4 cups of pasta water before draining. You will likely use all of it.
Drain the pasta and return it to the pot off the heat immediately.
Add 6 tbsp of Gusta Sicilian Pistachio Pesto to the pasta. Toss quickly. The sauce will look broken at first.
Add pasta water 1/4 cup at a time, tossing between each addition, until the sauce comes together and coats every spiral. This usually takes 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of water.
Add 1.5 oz of grated Parmigiano Reggiano and toss once more.
Divide into bowls. Finish with 2 tbsp of Gusta Chopped Pistachios and a drizzle of olive oil.
You made Fusilli al Pistacchio. Time to eat.
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Pistachio pesto thickens faster than Genovese pesto because of the natural starch in the nuts. If the sauce breaks (fat separates, pasta looks dry), add another spoonful of hot pasta water and toss hard for 30 seconds. It recovers.
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