Makes 6 cups (1.5 kg)
Toasted nuts are easy to find on a supermarket shelf, but they are
almost as easy to make yourself. Toasting your own nuts is like
sustainable farming—you’re on top of the whole process, from start to
finish. You may not produce the nuts, but you carefully purchase them,
decide how to season them, watch them as they toast, then finally add
other ingredients that you like. With minimal effort you’ll have the best
toasted nuts on the block.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup (150 g) hazelnuts
- 1 cup (150 g) almonds
- ½ cup (50 g) walnuts
- 1 cup (140 g) cashews
- ½ cup (70 g) sunflower seeds
- ½ cup (70 g) pumpkin seeds
- 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Scant teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup (150 g) raisins (optional)
PREPARATION
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Toast the hazelnuts separately on a baking dish in the oven until they are golden and fragrant, which will take 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer them to a tea towel. Fold the tea towel over the hazelnuts and let them sit for about 10 minutes. Vigorously rub the hazelnuts in the tea towel to remove the skin and discard the papery skins.
- In a large bowl, combine the remaining nuts and seeds. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss. Sprinkle with the salt and toss so the salt is mixed evenly among the nuts. Place the nuts in a baking dish and roast until they are golden, which will take 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the nuts from the oven and transfer them to a sieve to cool without sweating.
- Toss the cooled nuts with the hazelnuts and raisins (if using). Store the mixture in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 month. Note: If serving as an apéritif, omit the raisins.
Note: The raisins are optional. I like a touch of sweet in my salted
nuts when I’m reserving them for a snack, but if I’m serving toasted
nuts as an apéritif, I prefer to leave out the raisins.
The hazelnuts are toasted separately so their skins can be
removed
