Pistachio paste

[Kerry Beal]

1 minute ago, Rajala said:

Yeah, no expert here, but I would guess that it's made with skins on as you suggest. I'm going to try both as soon as the shipment arrive. I can report back on the difference!

But of course your question was how to remove the skins - I know upthread we decided that roasting was not a particularly good idea for pistachios which is a shame because that makes getting the skins off more easily (rough towel while just out of oven). Blanching seems to be the recommended method - pouring over boiling water - then pinching to remove skins. Then drying in the oven but not roasting. 

[pastrygirl]

57 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

 

Got this bottle sent to me - it's not terribly green for sure - so likely made with skins on?

 

Fine print says roasted ...  have you tasted it, how roasted does it taste?

 

And if it's not green enough, one can simply add kale

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

Just now, pastrygirl said:

 

Fine print says roasted ...  have you tasted it, how roasted does it taste?

 

And if it's not green enough, one can simply add kale

 

 

I tasted it at the Fancy Food show - tastes quite wonderfully pistachio.

[Jim D.]

The Fiddyment Farm paste is what I am now using--just bought a 4.5-lb. container. It's actually greener than the Agrimontana Sicilian paste I had been buying (I posted a side-by-side comparison of the two previously in this thread).

 

The subject of roasting pistachios was discussed previously, and those who wrote said pistachios were better unroasted. I tried this recently and felt something was missing, so ended up toasting them briefly in a toaster oven. Like so many things, it is a matter of personal taste.

 

@Rajala asked about removing the skins. I did this once (Greweling calls for it in his "Pistachio Homage"). To say it is tedious does not quite cover what was involved. They do look good and very green. After you boil them, you do need to dry them before proceeding.

[julie99nl]

Here's a point to think about on removing skins and color of pistachio pastes. At a recent trade fair I attended, there were about 15 gelato and ice cream suppliers. Pistachio gelato is one of my favorite flavors and when I found the one I liked the best I talked to them about how it was made and their source for pistachios. It was a brownish green color, but the taste was full pistachio and rich and intense. The maker preferred to get paste in a brownish tone because then he knew there was no green food coloring added to make it green.
In a praliné paste it may be just a matter of personal preference. I'm not offended by a greenish brown color, and I think the skins add a bit of depth of flavor without bitterness. Some nut skins are so bitter they have to be removed, but I haven't noticed that with pistachio, personally.

[foodie45]

I was suggested to post here by Moderist Cuisine customer service after contacting them about searching far and wide for PreGel brand-Bronte Sicilian Pistachio paste for their Pistachio Gelato they speak so highly of.  PreGel is able to sell me 5.5 kgs for approx $400.  This is just way to much product.  Does anyone know where I could get my hands of some of this. Preferably at will so I could make it whenever I wanted.

[pastrygirl]

Have you read the "pistachio paste" discussion?  Some of us have other sources or make our own, not sure if anyone uses that specific brand. 

 

What is a reasonable amount for you - a few ounces, a pound, a kg?

 

I'm starting to think I should make importing and re-packaging pistachio paste part of my business ...

Edited April 4, 2018 by pastrygirl (log)

[foodie45]

I have not read the pistachio paste discussion.  I'll look for it.  I feel a little stuck in this brand as its specifically called out in the Modernist Cuisine cookbook and it uses Bronte Sicilian pistachios.(I'm looking to make best product possible)

 

It would be unnecessary to import it as PreGel America has what seems to be a high end product in the USA already.  A distributor on the east side of Michigan said they could sell it to me if I had a business.  I believe the smallest they sell is 2.5 kg. 

 

I don't want to make my own since it requires approx. 4 passes through a colloid mill to achieve similar results.

 

A reasonable amount for any product should be based on its use.  It appears that it's used in similar ways to peanut butter so I say probably .5kg and a 1kg container would suffice for most peoples uses.  If someone needed more you could just sell them the entire 2.5kg container it comes in.

 

If you need contact information for PreGel I can give you that.

 

I think you should consider adding it to your business. With a popular cookbook calling it out, it sounds like a possible demand for it if there is a discussion in this forum already, and I'd imagine it has a long shelf life.  It might be worth experimenting in that niche market for approx $400 investment.

 

If shipping wasn't bad I'd certainly buy it.

[Rajala]

Well, I removed the skin from 500 grams of pistachios. Took forever and I won't do it again unless the color and / or taste improves by a lot.  

 

[foodie45]

Anyone ever try the PreGel bronte pistachio paste?   Anyone know where to get some?

 

Has it ever been compared to Fiddyment farms paste?

Edited April 11, 2018 by foodie45 (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Where are you located?

[foodie45]

SW Michigan

[Kerry Beal]

I'm afraid that can't help then - I know the Pregel people here in the Toronto area - but not in the states. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

This may be self evident to everyone but me...I placed a hotel pan on a stool.  The Premier tilted down until the opening was below the bottom.  Much easier to get the nut paste out!  So far tested only with red walnuts though I am super confident the same technique applies to pistachios.

 

[Rajala]

Look at the color of this. At the moment, I would say that it was worth peeling all those pistachios. We'll see when it's ready, I guess the color might change a little.

 

And btw; 500 grams of pistachios became 420 grams without skin. I lost a few dollars worth of pistachios there.  

 

Edited April 19, 2018 by Rajala (log)

[Jim D.]

35 minutes ago, Rajala said:

Look at the color of this. At the moment, I would say that it was worth peeling all those pistachios. We'll see when it's ready, I guess the color might change a little.

 

And btw; 500 grams of pistachios became 420 grams without skin. I lost a few dollars worth of pistachios there.  

 

 

You'll have to let us know how it turns out--how smooth it is, how green it is, etc. I assume you did not roast the pistachios. Several posters recently said they do not. Last time I tried without, but (to me) something was missing, and a very few minutes in the toaster oven made them more pistachio-y. As for the green:  You'll have to stress to your buyers/eaters that it is "all natural--no added ingredients"; otherwise they might have the same initial bad thought I did--wonder what he added to make it so green! 

[Rajala]

@Jim D. I did toast them, but just very lightly. Around 6 minutes at 170 degrees (~340 F°). It's already getting much smoother and the color is still there. Crazy expensive Bronte pistachios and time consuming to peel them, but what won't you do for the, eh, pastry art?

[Rajala]

Here's another picture. Just because it looks so amazing.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

17 minutes ago, Rajala said:

@Jim D. I did toast them, but just very lightly. Around 6 minutes at 170 degrees (~340 F°). It's already getting much smoother and the color is still there. Crazy expensive Bronte pistachios and time consuming to peel them, but what won't you do for the, eh, pastry art?

 

Where do you purchase the pistachios?

 

[Rajala]

@JoNorvelleWalker I bought them from aromasicilia.com . No idea if they ship state side, shipping would probably be quite expensive. It already is, even in Europe. 

Edited April 19, 2018 by Rajala (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

1 hour ago, Rajala said:

@JoNorvelleWalker I bought them from aromasicilia.com . No idea if they ship state side, shipping would probably be quite expensive. It already is, even in Europe. 

 

 

Thanks!  The site mentions shipping only to Italy and Europe.  And, yes, even in Europe the shipping is indeed horribly expensive for a few nuts.  I recently paid about the same amount (well, slightly more) to have a large stone mortar shipped from Italy.

 

Your paste is beautiful however and I'm sure all the effort will be worth it!

 

[Vasco]

A brownish color is not an indicator of a bad paste...it is just one that has been toasted.

It all depends on the flavour profile you want, a non roasted paste is much sweeter and sublte than a roasted one.

[pastrygirl]

A couple of random thoughts on pistachios - I just got a price quote on sicilian pistachios at $100/kg wholesale.  Crazy!  But if you want 'em that bad, Paris Gourmet is the importer, check with your distributor. 

 

Also, we know that almonds are frequently used to bring the price of nut pastes down, but I wonder if pumpkin seeds  would work with pistachios, since they are mild, green, and inexpensive.  You know, for those of us determined to make our own ...

[Rajala]

Wow, I'm not sure if the ones I get are real Bronte pistachios after what Teo said and was written here as well, but the price I got incl taxes are 58 dollars. A little bit better.

 

Regarding pumpkin seeds, perhaps? But maybe the texture will be off? Try.  

[pastrygirl]

1 hour ago, Rajala said:

 

Regarding pumpkin seeds, perhaps? But maybe the texture will be off? Try.  

 

Of course I thought of this because I just bought pumpkin seeds for other reasons but do not also have pistachios.  I'll have to go back and get pistachios so I can taste them side by side.  But preliminary testing is encouraging.  They needed some added fat to liquefy in the cuisinart, but they have a nice green color not adequately captured and a vague nutty flavor.  Plus they were only a few dollars a pound.

 

250 g pumpkin seeds, warmed up

 

still crumbly after 10 minutes in the cuisinart

 

added 25 g avocado oil, getting runnier

 

added 25 g cacao butter because on second thought it'll probably get mixed with chocolate

 

the color is brighter than this, closer to basil than olive

Edited July 26, 2018 by pastrygirl (log)