Prepare the pistachios: Place pistachios and 1/4 cup of sugar in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground, almost a paste.

Heat the milk: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk, heavy cream, and salt over medium heat until just steaming (do not boil).

Temper the yolks: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until pale and thick. Slowly pour a bit of the warm milk into the yolks, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.

Combine and cook: Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (around 170°F or 77°C).

Add pistachios and blend: Stir in the ground pistachio paste and vanilla extract. Remove from heat and blend the mixture using an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove any gritty bits.

Chill: Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Churn: Once chilled, churn the gelato in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Freeze: Transfer to a container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving for a firmer texture.