Pistachio crust is a delicious, nutty, and slightly sweet base that adds depth in flavor and texture.
This pistachio twist on classic Shortcrust Dough (Pâte Sablée), and is perfect for sweet tarts, adding a subtle nutty flavor, extra crunch, and a lovely green hue. It pairs beautifully with ingredients like strawberries, chocolate, and even more Pistachios like in this Pistachio Frangipane Tart Recipe, making it an easy way to elevate any dessert.
Key Ingredients
The complete recipe including measurements is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
- Shelled pistachios. Raw or toasted are both fine, same with salted pistachios. I like to leave the skin because it is rich in flavor.
- Pizza flour. Also known as ’00 flour, and it has a rare quality where is binds the ingredients very well into a smooth, easy to work with dough, but without the risk of ending up with a chewy dough. If unavailable to you, replace it with all-purpose flour (preferably bleached).
- Granulated Sugar. The sugar in this recipe provides more than sweetness, it adds a crumbly, tender texture. For these reasons I do not recommend replacing the sugar with honey, or maple syrup.
- Unsalted butter. Very cold, cit into 1/2-inch pieces. It what gives the dough its rich, and tender, adds a layer of flavor and enhances the pistachio flavor.
- Large egg. Cold, to bind all the ingredients together and add stability to the dough making it easy to come together, roll and shape without compromising the tender, crumbly texture.
- Heavy cream. The pistachios make it harder for the flour and the ingredients to bind, the heavy cream is the a sort of a binder/glue.
Make It
You can make this recipe using a food processor, or a large bowl and a pastry cutter. If using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into 1/8-inch cubes. This will make it easier to blend it into the flour throughly.
- Pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely chopped, but not a paste.
- Add the flour, baking powder and sugar into the ground pistachios and pulse about 5 times to fully incorporate.
- Add the pieces of butter and pulse until the butter is about the size of small pease.
- Process the egg and the vanilla into the mixture until you have a smooth ball of dough.
- Pile the dough over a large piece of plastic wrap, and use the edges to press it into to a 6-inch disk.
- Wrap it tightly and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Rolling and Shaping The dough
The addition of pistachios in the dough makes it harder for the gluten chains to form, and as a result, the dough tends to tare as we roll it and move it around. There is an easy fix for that, all you need is a large piece of parchment paper to roll the dough over. Then use it to move and press the dough into the tart pan.
- Flour the top of the dough and the rolling pin as needed.
- If the dough tares or gets stuck to the parchment paper when you remove the parchment paper, chill it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes, the try again.
Par and Pre Baking
If your recipe calls to par-bake the dough, use a fork to prick the surface, then top it with agreased pieces of parchment paper, and fill it with pie weights, or dry beans.
Allow the crust to chill for about 10-15 minutes before removing the weights and parchemtn paper. If removing too soon, the crust might shrink.
Yields
This recipe makes two 8-inch tarts, one double 9-inch tart, or 6 mini tarts.
Storing, Making Ahead, and Freezing
Make the dough up to three days ahead and refrigerate, or freeze wrapped tightly for up to two months.
Baked crust should be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days, when filled follow the recipe’s storing instructions.
Pistachio Crust Recipe
Ingredients
- 2/3 Cup (100g) Shelled pistachios
- 2 Cups (240g) '00 pizza flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1/8 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1/4 Cup (50g) Granulated sugar
- 1/2 Cup Cold unsalted butter cut into 1/4-inch pieces
- 1 Large Cold egg
- 3 Tablespoons Cold whipped cream
Instructions
Make The Dough
- Process the pistachios in a food processor until Finley chopped. Do not over process, or it will become oily.
- Add the flour, baking powder and sugar and pulse about 5 time to fully incorporate.
- Add the cut butter and pulse until the butter is not noticeable and the mixture is slightly coarse. About 8-10 seonds.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract and heavy cream and process until a moist, playable dough is formed.
- Mount the dough onto a clean work surface and press it together with your hands.
- Divide the dough into two and wrap each part with plastic wrap shaping it into a 6-inch disk.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour and up to three days.
Roll and Shape
- Unwrap the dough onto a clean work surface dusted with flour, then roll it with a flour dusted rolling pin into a 9.5 inch circle.Make sure to turn the dough as you roll and dust with more four as you go.
Bake
- Transfer the dough to a greased 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press it into the sides and bottom of the pan.To transfer the dough you can either roll it on the rolling pin, or fold it in half twice and place the triangle at the center of the pan, and unwrap.
- To par bake the crust: top the crust with great parchment paper (greased part down), and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place the pan over a large cookie pan and bake at 375F for 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the crust to chill for about 10 minutes before removing the weights.
- For a full bake: Remove the weights and parchment paper, then place the tart back in the oven and bake for additional 12-15 minutes.
Notes
- You can use raw, or roasted, salted or unsalted pistachios.
- Refrigerate the dough up to three days, or freeze (tightly wrapped with plastic wrap and in a freeze bag) for up to two months. When ready allow the dough to defrost in the refrigerator the night before.
- If the dough is giving you a hard time when you roll it, then roll it in between two pieces of parchment paper. Or press it into the pan instead of rolling it.
- Baked, unfilled dough should be stored at room temperature for up to five days.
