Ingredients

• 4 1/3 cups / 500 g raw pistachios
• 1 cup / 200 g granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
• scant 1/2 cup egg whites / 3 1/2 oz - from 3 large eggs
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, for coating cookies

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
2. Pulse the pistachios in a food processor with 1/2 cup / 100 g of the granulated sugar until the nuts are finely chopped. I tend to pulse the nuts until they're the texture of chunky, gravelly sand / lightly pebbled. A bit rustic. You can go finer if you like, but be mindful and avoid turning it into pistachio butter.
3. Combine the ground pistachio-sugar mixture with the honey, vanilla, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add the egg white, mixing until the dough is well combined and soft. At this point, add the rest of the granulated sugar and mix gently.
4. Form the dough into small balls, about 1 tablespoon each. Roll them in the confectioners' sugar to coat well. Transfer the balls to cookies sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving at least an inch between each cookie.
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the edges of each cookie are golden. Transfer to a cooling rack. These cookies can be stores in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks.