Pistachio, one of the most expensive seeds in the world, conquers the Brazilian palate

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, there lived a queen who loved pistachios. Legend has it that the Queen of Sheba, known as Makeda, demanded the entire production of the seed for her own use and that of her admirers. The Ethiopian monarch knew her stuff, or at least had quite sophisticated taste.

So it was with Adam who, when expelled from Eden, took a handful of seeds with him. Pistachios are even frequently mentioned in the Bible. Archaeological evidence in Turkey and Syria shows that the food has been consumed since 7000 BC. Perhaps this aura of luxurious ingredient comes from this, from the mix of sacredness and nobility.

Its price also contributes to its reputation. O pesteh, of Iranian origin, is among the eight most expensive spices in the world, alongside saffron, cardamom and vanilla bean. In other words, it can hold the title of delicacy without modesty.

A pistachio history begins in the Middle East, more precisely in Syria and ancient Mesopotamia. It was when it arrived in Italy, however, that pistachios gained worldwide fame. The Italians’ passion for pistacchio led them to raise the quality of the ingredient to an even higher level. So much so that those grown in the city of Bronte, in the Sicily region, have a protected designation seal (DOP) and were green gold baptisms .

In Brazil, there is no pistachio production . Ceará has been rehearsing tests for a few years, but the deal has not yet gone ahead. So the origin of all pistachios eaten around here comes from abroad. Remember: it is extremely important to separate the wheat from the chaff, or rather, the real pistachios from completely artificial flavored emulsions. These should not even be taken into account.

With a brownish-green color and a sweetly almond flavor, the seeds are found in countries such as Lebanon, Turkey, India, Iran and Afghanistan. In addition to Italy, it has been cultivated commercially in Australia, New Mexico and the United States, mainly in California, where it was introduced in 1854. Rich in beta-carotene, vitamin E and lutein, antioxidants that delay aging, it is also used in the cosmetic industry.

Pistachio: from starter to dessert

But it is in gastronomy that he excels. And the ingredient has been on the rise for some time now. In 2019, he was chosen by the Starbucks chain to be the protagonist of a “family” of products – latte, iced and frappuccino. They even showed up here in the summer of 2023. This was just an indication that the ingredient would become one of Brazilians’ favorites. Suddenly, pistachios were in everything: from starters to main courses.

In operation for 10 months, Fofo de Belas, a mix of cafe, bakery and confectionery, in Belo Horizonte, soon realized the enchanting power of “green gold”. “We started with a pistachio and red fruit mille-feuille and it just wouldn’t stop in the display case. He was the first to finish”, explains partner Igor Teixeira. Then came the other products: croissant, bread, cupcake, éclair, pie, ice cream, bolo de belles (Portuguese sweet, reminiscent of a softer sweet) and even cruffin, a mixture of croissant and muffin that is a big hit at social media. “It’s a real fever, which we can’t explain. I often say that if we put a bag of pistachios on the counter it might sell”, he laughs. The house buys it, but also makes its own pistachio paste. For one kilo of paste, the investment is at least R$1,000.

The chef Pepo Figueiredo , from Clan BBQ, a house specializing in fire in Rio de Janeiro, uses pistachios in the right amount – a lot for the price too. “It’s an expensive ingredient, I’m surprised it’s trendy. But, indisputably, it is wonderful,” she says. The seed appears in the Starters category in the form of a crumb served on top of cooked and grilled cauliflower with goat cheese fonduta. According to Pepo, the seed is used as an element of fat and salinity in the recipe, bringing a balance to the bitterness of the cauliflower char and the acidity and creaminess of the goat cheese.

Marcelo Petrarca , owner and chef of the restaurants Bloco C, Reverso and Lago, in Brasília, made a dish that is a true declaration of love. À la Marcela is a tribute to his wife, the pastry chef Marcella Pinho . “One day I came home and she had prepared this recipe for me. I ended up making some adaptations to bring to customers.” In the final version signed by Petrarca, the rigatoni is served with grana padano cream, funghi and pistachio praline.

Matches with everything

The Italian chef Antonio Maiolica , from Temperani Cucina and MII Rooftop, in São Paulo, says that the first thing a child learns to eat in his country is ice cream. “Pistachio and chocolate are my favorites,” he says, and to this day he is a fan of both flavors. For the chef, the history of pistachios in Brazil is just beginning. “This wave has already happened in Italy. Everything had pistachios! It was almost like Nutella”, he adds. The seed goes well with everything. He is of the theory that if used well, to the extent and correctly, any ingredient can be combined.

During the period he lived in New York, from 2010 to 2014, he served a rack of lamb in a pistachio crust at the Gradisca restaurant. Of course, there are some classics such as its use with chocolate or within the traditional Bologna mortadella. It was even Mercadão’s traditional mortadella sandwich that inspired him to create his famous pistachio mayonnaise (recipe at the end of the article). “In Italy, we eat bread with mortadella and a spoonful of mayonnaise. One day, he had some pistachio paste left over from a candy he was making. I decided to test it and it turned out great,” he says. Today, in restaurants, he uses pistachios in some dishes, such as the tuna crudo with pistachios and the ricotta cannoli with pistachios.

Conquered the menus once and for all

In August, Bacio di Latte, a gelateria that was founded in São Paulo in 2011 and now has more than 160 units spread across Brazil, launched the Pistacchio Festival. As the name suggests, the star of all the products was, of course, the pistachio. Created by chef Olivier Kirkham, Il Pistacchio immediately enchanted pistachiomaniacs. You could also: pistachio gelato in a cone filled with pistachio cream, crunchy and pistachio topping. The group accepted the new recipes so much that the festival ended and some of the recipes were added to the menu for good. Currently, the brand offers seven products that contain the ingredient.

In addition to pistachio gelato and pistacchio mousse, there is a milkshake, waffle, crepe, cream and chocolate. Oh, and do you know which ice cream is best sold by Bacio throughout Brazil? So it is. Himself! It really seems that pistachios weren’t just summer love for Brazilians. Came to stay.

Easy recipe with pistachios

Pistachio mayonnaise by Antonio Maiolica

300g of oil
2g of salt
30g vinegar
1 egg
20 g pistachio paste or 50 g fresh pistachios and three parsley leaves

Way of doing
Place the oil, salt, vinegar and egg in the mixing bowl. Place the mixer at the bottom and beat until the mixture emulsifies. Then just add the pistachio paste and beat some more.