Italian Pine Nuts

Pinoli, aka pine nuts, are one of Italy’s most important traditional ingredients but are incredibly hard to source, which is why we were so thrilled to find these little gems from Pariani. The seeds of the Mediterranean stone pine tree native to central and southern Italy, pine nuts have a distinct, delicate, buttery taste and creamy texture best recognized in pesto Genovese. Extracting the little nuts from the tree’s cones is a lengthy, multistep process, and they must be stored in peak conditions and sold fresh to preserve their elusive flavor. These high-quality pinoli are sourced from Tuscany and Lazio, where the little nuts have traditionally been used to add luscious texture and decoration to baked goods.

Based in Givoletto, just outside of Torino, Pariani’s slogan is “Research and Excellence”—and they mean it! Research is, in fact, the way the company began; the founder, Mattia Pariani, was a student at the University of Torino when his thesis on hazelnut oil won the National Innovation Prize. Not content to stay on the academic side, he decided to turn his prize-winning idea into action. He founded his namesake company in 2010, focusing on oil and other products made from the world-famous nocciola Piemonte.

Over time, Pariani has expanded its focus to the five essential Italian nuts—hazelnut, pistachio, almond, walnut, and pignoli (pine nuts)—and candied fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients. Through it all, they’ve become a celebrated artisan producer with a reputation for the highest quality. Their mission: To create unusual ingredients and products, to satisfy even the most demanding palates, and to inspire creative recipes. Those unusual products have found fans in Michelin-starred kitchens around the world, and are truly a chef’s best friend. Pariani partners with select farmers around the country to source their ingredients, and only the best of the best will do.