Ottobre e’ tempo di castagne (October is chestnuts’ time).
Here is a typical ancient recipe originated in the Tuscan country side; like most, as simple as it is delicious! Leave it to the Tuscan people to maximize enjoyment from the humblest of ingredients joined together in the simplest, fastest and most no-fuss way!
Ingredients for a 12.5 inches diameter baking tin:
1 pound chestnut flour*
3.5 ounces pine nuts
3.5 ounces walnut kernels
1/3 cup raisins
23 ounces water
1 fresh rosemary sprig
extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
What to do:
Soak the raisins for about 10 minutes to rehydrate them.
Mince the walnut kernels and leaf the rosemary.
In a large bowl sieve the chestnut flour adding the water little at a time while blending with a hand whisk. When the mix is smooth add the minced walnuts and whole pine nuts, keeping aside a small quantity to scatter on the top of the castagnaccio before you put it into the oven.
After about 10 minutes squeeze and dry the raisins and, leaving a few aside, add them to the mixture, blending well and adding the salt.
Brush with olive oil a shallow** round baking tin and pour the mix into it leveling with a wooden spatula. Scatter evenly on top the saved aside pine nuts, walnuts and raisins.
Top with fresh rosemary needles, drops of olive oil and cook in the oven preheat at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for about 35 minutes, until the surface will show cracks and the raisins will look golden.
Take out of the oven and let cool dow. Serve and enjoy your Tuscan castagnaccio!
*The chestnut flour should be of top quality and very fine to better release its sweetness; in fact, there is no sugar amongst the recipe’s ingredients.
**As for the antique recipe, to obtain the best castagnaccio the baking tin should be shallow.
Fun fact:
According to an old legend the fresh rosemary needles used to flavor the castagnaccio were thought to be a love elixir and have the power of making a young man who ate it fall in love with and ask in marriage the girl who had offered the cake to him.