Italian Pistachio Crumb Cake
I have followed the blog Inside the Rustic Kitchen for as long as I can remember. It is run by married couple Emily and Nathan, featuring only Italian dishes. Nathan’s heritage is Italian, and together they lived in Tuscany, where they started the blog. Their recipes, however, originate from all regions of Italy.
I’m pretty sure that the term “rustic” refers to the fact that the recipes the couple offer are authentic recipes. Nothing terribly fancy, and all simplistic in nature, which is what Italian cuisine is all about.
When I came across the recipe for this pistachio crumb cake, I just knew I had to make it. I don’t love sweets, but it didn’t appear to me as overly sweet, and pistachio cream is unique and delicious. Especially if you love pistachios, as I do!
Nathan and Emily point out that one can make pistachio cream at home, but I bought mine from Amazon. (Hazelnut and chocolate spread or any nut butters can be used as well.)
Sbrisolona al Pistacchio
printable recipe below
2 cups Italian 00 flour, (can also use all-purpose flour)
3/4 cup unsalted pistachios
1 egg
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
scant 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 packed cup pistachio cream
Put the pistachios in a food processor and blitz to fine crumbs. Be careful to not blitz them for too long as they’ll start to turn into butter.
Add the blitzed pistachios to a large mixing bowl with the flour, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Mix everything until combined.
Next, add the cold butter and use your hands to rub it into the flour until it has a dry crumby texture. Lightly whisk the egg, then add it to the mixture. Use your hands to mix it in until it has a rough, rustic crumb texture.
Press just over half of the mixture into a 9” springform cake tin (If you are using a non-stick spring form cake tin then there’s no need to grease it first as there’s enough butter in the pastry). Press it in, to form an even base layer.
Next, spread the pistachio cream over the top, making sure you keep about 1/2 inch border around the edge. If your pistachio cream is very thick, you can warm it up gently in a saucepan first.
Sprinkle the remaining pastry over the top of the cake in large crumbs. Place the cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Bake the cake for 30 minutes until it’s just starting to turn slightly golden on top.
Serve warm or at room temperature. This cake is delicious served with a morning cappuccino. But it’s also good any time of day with whipped cream!!!
Sbrisolona al Pistacchio
2 cups Italian 00 flour, (can also use all-purpose flour)
3/4 cup unsalted pistachios
1 egg
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
scant 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 packed cup pistachio cream
Put the pistachios in a food processor and blitz to fine crumbs. Be careful to not blitz them for too long as they’ll start to turn into butter.
Add the blitzed pistachios to a large mixing bowl with the flour, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Mix everything until combined.
Next, add the cold butter and use your hands to rub it into the flour until it has a dry crumby texture. Lightly whisk the egg, then add it to the mixture. Use your hands to mix it in until it has a rough, rustic crumb texture.
Press just over half of the mixture into a 9” springform cake tin (If you are using a non-stick spring form cake tin then there’s no need to grease it first as there’s enough butter in the pastry). Press it in, to form an even base layer.
Next, spread the pistachio cream over the top, making sure you keep about 1/2 inch border around the edge. If your pistachio cream is very thick, you can warm it up gently in a saucepan first.
Sprinkle the remaining pastry over the top of the cake in large crumbs. Place the cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Bake the cake for 30 minutes until it’s just starting to turn slightly golden on top.
Serve warm or at room temperature. This cake is delicious served with a morning cappuccino. But it’s also good any time of day with whipped cream!!!
About the Author: Chef Mimi
this sounds exquisite
It really was!
This is my kind of cake, lots of texture and not much sugar! You plated it beautifully! Barb
Thank you Barb!
Thanks so much, Mimi! I had a cookie like this in Taormina and have had no luck finding a recipe. Can’t wait to make this.
Sicilians definitely love pistachios!
Oh that looks so good! :)
It was so good!
I can taste it from here. :)
Yes, please! I have two jars of pistachio cream and this seems a great way to use them. I have to check out their blog.
Oh definitely! One of my favorites!
This sounds really tasty Mimi, and the texture looks amazing.
I’m so glad I made it!
Such a lovely treat, Mimi – this Italian pistachio crumb cake looks delicious and perfect with coffee!
Definitely! Or sherry…
This pistachio cake looks fantastic, Mimi. I’m tempted to try it myself. Although I’m a real fan of hazelnuts, so I might just substitute hazelnuts for the pistachios. Thanks for the recipe.
You could certainly use Nutella instead of the pistachio cream!
Who doesn’t love Pistachio goodies?! I like the sound of this bake and actually went to their site to have a look. I was pleased to find that they had the metric measurements for this recipe. They also have some really lovely recipes too. Thanks Mimi :))
It’s a really nice blog, and the couple is pretty young!
Not a cake baker or eater but this does sound very interesting . . . as does a certain blog > guess what :) ?
It’s a great blog!
Looks fabulous 🙌🏽
It was!!
pistachios are so trendy these days. I do like them but i think other nuts are missing out :=) I read that the people who normally use them often in cooking in middle eastern countries etc are finding it hard to get hold of them! Anyways, this looks great tho i might try another nut!
cheers
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
Trendy? Huh. No idea. They’re pretty! I use them a lot for color during the holidays!
ooooh yum. I’m also a pistachio lover, and will be trying this for sure. Sounds lovely! :-) ~Valentina
Thank you Valentina!
Oh, this is right up my alley! Yum!
It was so good!
This recipe is so worth splurging out on some more pistachio cream! I think my suitcase is going to have a few jars of this when we go to Italy next year :)
Try and get one that looks more green than brownish green. It turns out prettier that way!
Mimi, this cake looks absolutely irresistible, that rustic crumb with the layer of pistachio cream tucked inside is such a beautiful combo. This is the kind of bake that disappears embarrassingly fast in my house.
Yes! It disappeared quickly in my house as well!
Sounds delicious to me!
And not toooo sweet!
Where did you find pistachio cream? I’ve always had to make it from scratch if I wanted it, and it’s hard to make.
Oh goodness! Amazon!!!
Oh, wait, now I see that you bought it on Amazon. Must’ve missed that!
Sounds llke a tasty cake and not too sweet!
That’s exactly why it was so good to me!
I use pistachio butter for one of my Macarons fillings- delicious plus it’s so much easier than grinding up the pistachios. I’ll have two please!!
Yes indeed! This is a fabulous cake!