Gelato al Pistacchio

Gelato al Pistacchio (Sicilian Pistachio Gelato)

Sicily's iconic green gelato, prized for its pure pistachio flavor rather than sweetness or color. A true Italian-style custard base (crema) keeps it dense and silky.

Prep

25 min

Cook

15 min

Total

40 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 ml (2 cups + 2 tbsp) whole milk
• •250 ml (1 cup + 2 tbsp) heavy cream, fresh cream, 35% fat
• •150 g (5¼ oz) unsweetened pistachio paste (pure 100%), Bronte-style if possible; avoid sweetened or colored spreads
• •120 g (½ cup) caster sugar
• •4 whole (4 large) egg yolks, pasteurized if serving to pregnant women, elderly, or immunocompromised
• •60 g (½ cup) unsalted pistachios, finely chopped, for texture, toasted
• •1 pinch fine sea salt

Steps

1. 1 Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a heatproof bowl until pale and slightly thickened (about 2 minutes by hand).
2. 2 Warm the milk and cream together in a saucepan over medium heat until just steaming and small bubbles form around the edge (around 80 °C / 175 °F). Do not boil.
3. 3 Temper the hot milk mixture into the yolks slowly, a ladle at a time, whisking constantly to prevent the yolks from scrambling.
4. 4 Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard reaches 80–82 °C (176–180 °F) and coats the back of the spoon. Do not let it boil or the yolks will curdle. If you do not have a thermometer, the custard is ready when it leaves a clean trail when you draw a finger across the spoon.
5. 5 Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, then whisk in the pistachio paste and the pinch of salt until completely smooth.
6. 6 Cover and chill the crema in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight (4 °C / 39 °F). The base must be thoroughly cold for proper churning.