Italian Pistachio Nougat

Prepare an 8x11-inch baking dish by covering it with plastic wrap, allowing the edges to dangle beyond the dish's boundaries. Place a single sheet of wafer paper at the bottom of the lined dish to prevent sticking. Allow nuts such as almonds and pistachios to sit in a warm environment, making them more receptive to mixing into the final product.

Heat honey in a heavy-bottomed pot over low heat. Add 1 cup and 3 tablespoons of sugar to the pot; stir constantly with a spatula, allowing the mixture to transition from grainy to smooth and silky, approximately 30 minutes. Remove the pot from heat.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine egg whites and salt; whisk until soft peaks form, taking around 3 to 4 minutes. Return the pot with honey mixture to low heat and gradually whisk in 1/4 of the whipped egg whites; then, add the remaining egg whites in three batches.

Continue cooking over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the mixture has turned a brighter white and forms a ribbon on the surface that does not immediately incorporate, approximately 40 minutes. To check the consistency, add a few drops of mixture to an ice-cold water bowl; ideally, it should feel like soft clay.

Whisk in lemon zest and vanilla extract. Add warm almonds and pistachios; stir to combine evenly. Transfer the nougat mixture to the prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a clean, oiled spatula. Cover nougat with remaining wafer paper sheet, shiny-side up. Place plastic wrap over the top and press down evenly, gently tamping mixture down. Remove the top plastic wrap.

Allow nougat to sit at room temperature until it has cooled, become firm, and is ready for cutting, approximately 1 or 2 hours.

Lift the edges of overhanging plastic wrap to release nougat from the baking dish. Invert and remove plastic wrap from the bottom of the dish. Trim off any edges that are difficult to remove. Cut torrone into 1-inch squares using a sharp serrated knife