• Experiences
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Newsletter
  • FAQ
  • About
Menu

Gastronomad

Immersive culinary travel experiences
  • Experiences
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Newsletter
  • FAQ
  • About
pistatiopiszza.jpg

Why pistachios are right for pizza

May 21, 2020

You’ve heard about pizza, right? Crust. Tomato sauce. Mozzarella cheese. Maybe some pepperoni slices, and a few other random veggies and cured meats, like sausage.

And nuts.

Wait, what?

Pistachios are one of the most wonderful ingredients you could ever put on a pizza. But it has to be the right kind of pizza.

We discovered this fact at Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix, Arizona, many years ago. That place makes a pizza called the Rosa, which has red onions, Parmigiano-Reggiano, rosemary and pistachios, drizzled with olive oil. It’s fantastic. (Picture below.)

A couple years ago, we were spending some quality time in Turin, Italy, and showed up at an extremely popular restaurant called Pizzeria Fratelli Roselli. It was a rainy day, and we were exploring the town by walking around. Normally, to get a table, you have to make a reservation weeks in advance. But they were nice and told us they had a table that wasn’t reserved for another half hour. We said we’d eat and run in 20 minutes.

One of the pizzas we ordered broke all the rules (which, of course, there are no rules in pizza — the only necessary ingredient that makes pizza pizza is the crust). This one had no sauce. It did have a thin layer of mortadella bologna on the dry crust with a huge ball of Burrata cheese on top and drizzled with olive oil. And crushed pistachios. Truly wonderful pizza.

We made pizza this week at home, using our usual sourdough crust. We made several kinds of pizza, but one had a tiny amount of sauce, mozzarella and Pecorino Romano cheeses and onions. After one bite, it was clear: This pizza really needed some pistachios. (Won’t make that mistake again!)

pb.jpg
Tags Italy, Pizza, Delicious
← Ask me about next year's Gastronomad Experience!Why we love African safaris →
Screenshot 2018-09-18 at 11.35.49 AM.png

Love the blog? Buy the book!


Latest & Greatest

Featured
Apr 27, 2025
A farewell to the El Salvador Gastronomad Experience
Apr 27, 2025
Apr 27, 2025
Apr 19, 2025
It’s time for something extraordinary
Apr 19, 2025
Apr 19, 2025
Mar 5, 2025
Inside the Sophisticated World of Mexico City’s Haute Cuisine
Mar 5, 2025
Mar 5, 2025
Jul 29, 2024
Why Oaxaca feels like a dream
Jul 29, 2024
Jul 29, 2024
Jun 13, 2024
What Sicily's volcano brings to the table
Jun 13, 2024
Jun 13, 2024
May 20, 2024
Sleepless in Spain
May 20, 2024
May 20, 2024
May 1, 2024
Living a life of adventure, discovery and purpose
May 1, 2024
May 1, 2024
Apr 18, 2024
Eat and drink only the very best chocolate. Here’s why.
Apr 18, 2024
Apr 18, 2024
Apr 15, 2024
The surprising joy of joyful surprises
Apr 15, 2024
Apr 15, 2024
Apr 13, 2024
On the wonder and beauty of pulque, the Mexican drink that’s always local
Apr 13, 2024
Apr 13, 2024
Get the Gastronomad newsletter!