Pistachio Shortbread

What is speckled with green and the faintest of purple, is mega-fattening and delightful?

Pistachio Shortbread that is. While I made mine with organic unsalted butter, Earth Balance Buttery stick or similar works wonderfully for a vegan version. The cookies are soft until cooling, then get the buttery, crispy bite you expect from shortbread. Don’t be surprised if they disappear quickly!

Pistachio Shortbread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup roasted unsalted shelled pistachios
• 1¼ cups white whole wheat flour
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 stick butter or Earth Balance Buttery stick, chilled and diced
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt
• 2 Tbsp ice water

Directions:

Pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground. Add flour, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt, pulse until texture of cornmeal.

With processor running, drizzle in ice water. As soon as the dough pulls together in a crumbly texture stop.

Rip off two sheets of parchment paper the size of a baking sheet. Knock dough out on one sheet, pat into a rectangle. Cover with second sheet and roll out to a 12″ x 8″ rectangle. Slide paper covered dough onto a baking sheet, refrigerate for an hour.

Preheat oven to 350°, place oven racks in top third and bottom, line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove top layer of paper off dough. Cut dough lengthwise into 8 strips (each 1″ wide), then cut crosswise in quarters, for 32 pieces total. Transfer gently to prepared sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through. Transfer to cooling racks and let cool. Store tightly sealed on the counter for up to 5 days.

Makes about 32 cookies. Can be frozen if needed.

~Sarah

PS: I hope everyone has a good weekend – it is supposed to be hot here (80° or hotter? Wow!) so I’ll be keeping busy. I just saw they opened one of my favorite mountain passes, just up the road…so even more temptation to run away 😉 For at least a few hours. Till then, I need to go get my two new grape plants in the ground. Walker is looking forward to that!

And hey, maybe they will eventually cover up the rotting fence (which belongs to our neighbor’s landlord and I doubt will EVER be replaced). Oh well. On the other hand, it isn’t mine to replace thankfully $$$$!