Sicilian Pistachios
Today, most of the pistachios consumed in Italy are imported from Iran and Iraq. That wasn't always the case. Throughout the middle Ages, the pistachios eaten by Sicilians came from eastern Sicily, where they are still grown, particularly around Mount Etna and in the Bronte area.Traditionally cultivated in India, central Asia, the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean, pistachios were introduced in Sicily in ancient times, probably by the Phoenicians, the Sisals or the earliest Greek colonizers. There is little doubt that the ninth-century Arab rulers of Sicily encouraged the wider cultivation of the tasty nuts.
It was probably the Saracen Arabs who began the practice of radically pruning pistachio trees every two years to increase nut production.
Pistachios found their way into many of the sweet confections still made today, created in Arab Sicily using cane sugar.
That's how most of Sicily's pistachio production is now used
--either in pastries or in pistachio ice cream.
Sicilian pistachios are slightly longer and thinner than those
grown in the Middle East. They also seem to have a stronger,
sharper taste, due perhaps in part to the volcanic soil in which
they're grown.
They are not exported in large quantities. Unlike olive growers,
pistachio farmers receive little economic support from the
Italian government. Here in Sicily, almonds seem to have been
preferred to pistachios, probably because the cultivation of
pistachios was historically more difficult.
Almond trees, which require somewhat less water, seem generally
hardier than pistachio plants. Sicily is suffering an extended
drought; in recent years, decreased annual precipitation has
reduced the quantity, but not the quality, of Sicilian
pistachios.
Pistachio Vera is the edible variety of pistachio grown in warm,
dry climates around the world, even in California. The pistachio
tree is an evergreen native to Asia, and the very word traces
the fruit's origin. The English word pistachio comes to us from
the Old Italian pistachio ("pistachio" in modern Italian), from
the Greek pistachio, which in turn derives from an Old Persian
word.
Pistachios are a good source of protein, fat, fiber, vitamin B6
and thiamine. The mature kernels are generally greenish with
reddish areas, assuming a brownish color when toasted. However,
it is possible to eat them dried rather than toasted.
Widely regarded as a snack food, pistachios are well-suited to
Italian recipes, including some that call for pine nuts.
Pistachios are excellent in rice dishes or as a garnish in main
courses.
To prepare pistachios in this way, simply remove them from the
shell, allowing the kernels to soak for at least an hour in cold
water flavored with lemon juice. In this way, the tender
pistachios will reveal their truest flavor.
A restaurant in Palermo serves tender Sicilian pistachios over
gnocchi as part of a delicious gorgonzola (blue cheese) sauce.
