How to roast pistachios

October 22, 2009

How to roast pistachios

Pistachio nuts are related to cashews and mangoes.  The kernels are surrounded by a hull and a shell.  About 2 or 3 weeks before the nut is ripe, the shell starts to split, but the hull stays intact. With Turkish pistachios, which are smaller than California pistachios, the hull is kept on until they are ready to be processed. But in California, they take the hull off within 24 hours of picking so that the hull doesn’t stain the shell. The hull is pink and that is why they stain pistachio nuts pink because originally in the Middle East, they were sold in the pink hulls.  Pistachios are a good source of protein and are high in potassium.  When unsalted, they are low in sodium.

For 2 cups of pistachios (in their shell):

In a saucepan, add 1 teaspoon of salt to 1/4 cup of water and heat until the water comes to a boil.
Add 2 cups of pistachios, bring back to a boil, and stir until all the water has evaporated
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Place the salted pistachios onto a cookie sheet in a single layer and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Stir the pistachios every 30 minutes while they are being roasted, to ensure an even roasting.
Let cool and store in an airtight container.

Note: how to hull pistachios.
Unfortunately there is no easy way to hull pistachios.
If the pistachio hulls are still soft when you get them, grab pistachios one at a time and remove the hull by puncturing each pistachio with your nail and then peeling away the hull.
If the hull has already hardened, it might be easier to remove the hulls after roasting.  Grab a handfull of roasted pistachios and rub them between the palms of your hands.  Many hulls will just crumble away.  The reluctant ones may require more individual peeling with your nails.