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Pine nuts are those seeds considered also nuts which are used often in the kitchen in so many ways to take advantage of their flavour and textures. They have interesting health benefits in the form of vitamins, essential fatty acids, minerals, fibre or proteins.
Meat dishes go very well with our tiny protagonists, nonetheless, you have many other options to introduce them in your kitchen since they are ideal for making stuffing or as a simple dressing. No matter the recipe you choose, we recommend that you always use the Castilian or Mediterranean pine nuts, as their flavour will give the touch that your dish needs.
If you are looking for ideas to cook with pine nuts, surely this post comes in handy to you. Here we leave 3 savoury recipes:
The homemade pine nuts and spinach croquettes are made by hand with great care due to the enormous labour entailing on the delicate bechamel sauce and the preparation of the round shape. The final result, crunch from the outside and creamy on the inside, is worth the effort.
SETUP TIME: 2 hours.
QUANTITY: 20-25 croquettes.
INGREDIENTS:
· 100 grams of “Piñones de Castilla”.
· 600 grams of spinach, fresh or frozen.
· 2-3 eggs, for the breading.
· Flour.
· Breadcrumb. For an extra crispy result, we recommend using coarse breadcrumbs, for instance, Panko.
· Oil to fry.
· For the homemade Bechamel sauce:
– 1 liter of milk.
– 80 grams of flour.
– 100 grams of butter.
– A pinch of nutmeg.
– Salt.
STEP BY STEP:
1. Roast the pine nuts in an oil-less pan over medium heat, until they gain a soft brown colour.
2. Put a pot with water and some salt over high heat. When it starts to boil, add the spinach and let it cook.
3. Now it is time to prepare the bechamel, while the spinach is boiling:
· Add the butter in a saucepan over low heat.
· When melted, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the flour.
· Stir all quickly so that a homogeneous paste is formed and there are no lumps of flour.
· Add the milk slowly, stirring at the same time constantly, until desired consistency is achieved and add a pinch of salt and nutmeg.
4. Pour the Bechamel into another container, mix it with the pine nuts and the spinach (previously drained) and let it cool.
5. Let’s get on with it! Make the round shape of the croquettes and pass them through the flour, beaten eggs and, finally, breadcrumbs. Let them rest between 30 minutes and 1 hour.
6. In a saucepan or deep frying pan add plenty oil over high heat.
7. Fry the croquettes and drain them to remove excess of oil.
Now try to eat just one! Note: you will want more.
Pesto is an Italian sauce, from the Liguria region, which is made raw by grinding all the ingredients. The pine nuts are the key for this sauce to come out perfect, for that reason, we could not forget about it. Let’s get started!
SETUP TIME: 20 minutes.
QUANTITY: 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS:
· 50 grams of “Piñones de Castilla”.
· 2 garlic cloves.
· Coarse salt.
· 40 grams of fresh basil.
· 60 grams of Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano grated.
· Extra virgin olive oil.
STEP BY STEP:
1. Choose your favourite pasta type and cook it as usual.
2. It’s time to make the Pesto! We have two alternatives for you:
1. Peeled garlic cloves with a pinch of coarse salt.
2. Piñones de Castilla.
3. Basil leaves.
4. Cheese (add the cheese while you continue crushing)
5. Olive oil. Add it slowly while crushing so the sauce emulsifies.
3. Now you just have to pour the sauce over your fav pasta (previously drained) and enjoy!
The “coca” of vegetables with pine nuts is a great idea if you are looking for a health, fast, easy to prepare and very tasty dish. We recommend saving it for a special occasion like Christmas, although you can practise beforehand.
SETUP TIME: 10 minutes for elaboration & 30 minutes of cooking.
QUANTITY: 4-6 people
INGREDIENTS:
STEP BY STEP:
1. Cut all the vegetables into small squares and season them with salt.
2. Unroll the puff pastry and place it on a baking dish. Spread the vegetables on top, cover them with the pine nuts and dress them with olive oil.
3. Preheat the oven to 200º and cook the coca for approximately 30 minutes until it is slightly golden. Now you just have to let your guests be surprise
Hungry? Every time we think about these recipes, we are! Get the jar of 100 grams of Piñones de Castilla, which is perfect for these type of recipes.
There are a thousand ways to cook with pine nuts, if you want so more ideas, leave a comment or write to us to find out more. We will also share them on our Facebook and Instagram profiles, so follow us & don’t miss them!
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