Pistachio Lemon Bread

My favorite thing to bake is the Pistachio Lemon Cake. It's actually a cross between a cake and a bread, due to its texture and the absence of too much sugar. From Michigan to Barcelona, it's also been an all-time snatcher at parties. The recipe is actually very simple and it calls for most staples you have in the kitchen. It is also good to the waisteline considering the quarter cup of cooking oil needed.

I used to buy a big bag of shelled pistachios by Planters´ at Sam´s Club for about $7 in the States. Here in Barcelona, they are a little tad expensive. 4€ gets you only a handful. Once while strolling in the African quartier of Marseille, I got some Iranian ones for 15€ per kilo.

Yesterday I made a loaf to bring with me this morning on the roadtrip to Provençe. It's completely scrump! I hope you can have a slice of this lemony pistachio wholesome goodness so here's my Christmas gift to you: a recipe that you can try out on your own. Happy baking and Joyeux Noel!

Pistachio Lemon Bread
1 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup cooking oil
2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts
1 tablespoon sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease bottom and sides of cake or loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and set aside.
3. In another medium mixing bowl, combine milk, egg, cooking oil, lemon peel, and the 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Add egg mixture all at once ot the dry mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy.) Fold in pistachios.
4. Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
5. Meanwhile, stir together the 2 tablespoon lemon juice and the 1 tablespoon sugar. While bread is still in pan, bursh lemon-sugar mixture over loaf. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
6. Remove loaf from pan; cool on wire rack.

Wrap and store overnight before serving. This nut bread taste better when "aged". Store in foil for up to 1 week in the fridge.

(Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, Nov 1999)