Pistachio Gelato

Prep: 15 min | Total: 8 hr | Yield: 1 quart

Gluten-free, Dairy free

Ingredients

• 2 cups roasted, unsalted whole pistachios, divided*
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Green food coloring (optional)

Instructions

1. Put 1 1/2 cups pistachios in a bowl and cover completely with water, soak for 1 to 8 hours. Drain and rinse pistachios in a strainer under cold running water until the water runs clear.
2. Chop the remaining 1/2 cup pistachios with the salt in a food processor until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
3. Put the soaked pistachios in a blender with 2 1/4 cups of water. Process for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is very smooth. It should be the consistency of very heavy cream. If too thick, add a little more water and blend. Take 1/2 cup of the pistachio cream and mix with the cornstarch until completely blended.
4. Pour the rest of the pistachio cream into a large saucepan, combine with the chopped pistachios and sugar and cook over medium-high heat until it just starts to boil. Add in the cornstarch mixture and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. The mixture should be the consistency of pudding. Take off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. If you want the color a little greener, stir in some green food coloring drops, a few drops at a time, until if becomes the desired shade of green.
5. For a smooth gelato, push the mixture through a strainer into a bowl or for a chunkier texture just scrape the mixture into a bowl. Top with a piece of plastic wrap placed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
6. Let the mixture cool to room temperature then refrigerate for about 2 hours or until cold.
7. Put mixture into an ice cream machine and process for 20 to 25 minutes or according to the manufacturer's instructions.
8. Can be eaten immediately or stored in the freezer in an airtight container. Take out of freezer for about 5 minutes to soften before serving.

Notes

* If you make this recipe with salted pistachios, leave the additional salt out of the recipe.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Western Pistachio Association
Recipe by Carol Kicinski.