Orecchiette with Pistachios
This simple recipe from CHOW lets these brilliant pistachios shine.
Ingredients
Fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups shelled, unsalted, toasted green pistachios (preferably Sicilian), coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped mint
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces), plus more as needed
1 pound orecchiette
Freshly grated black pepper
4 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces then thinly sliced lengthwise (white and light green parts only)
Instructions
Fill a large pot with water and add enough salt so that the water tastes like the ocean. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Meanwhile, place pistachios, olive oil, mint and garlic in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add measured Pecorino Romano and a large pinch of salt and stir to combine; set aside.
Cook pasta in the boiling water according to the package directions. Drain-reserving 1 cup of the cooking water-return pasta to the pot, and place over low heat. Add reserved pistachio mixture and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water and toss until pasta is coated with sauce. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, and cheese if you choose. If needed, add a little more cooking water to loosen the sauce. Transfer to bowls or a serving platter, garnish with scallions, and serve, passing additional olive oil on the side.
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