Chestnuts 

Fruit could be replaced by caldarroste today: it is October, even if it still seems July in many parts of the Country 🥵❤️❤️ The fruits that are the protagonists of many autumn recipes: chestnuts! There are more than a hundred varieties, including chestnuts, the protagonists of many sweet recipes such as Montblanc and simple cakes, creams, jams or queens of regional gastronomic traditions such as castagnaccio. Chestnuts are also very popular to be enjoyed on their own, cooked on the fire with a special perforated pan such as roasted chestnuts or salted, boiled or baked as in this recipe! Imagine yourself in the warmth of a fireplace or forced indoors by a rainy evening; there is nothing better than a good glass of red wine and the right company (even on the occasion of Halloween) to shell together these delicacies cooked slowly in the oven to toast them to the right point. Come and find out how to best cook chestnuts!

INGREDIENTS

Chestnuts 1 Kg

FOR SOAKING CHESTNUTS

Water to taste

PREPARATION

For optimal cooking of chestnuts in the oven, start by notching the chestnuts: choose those that are perfectly intact and make a horizontal notch of about 3 cm, then pour them into a large bowl and pour in the water. Soak them for at least 2 hours. Thanks to this process, it will be easier to peel them once cooked. After the necessary time has passed, drain the chestnuts and, if you want, you can place them in a paper bag that will absorb the water residues, or equip yourself with a dry cloth to dry them well. Cook your chestnuts spreading them evenly on the baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated oven in static mode at 180° for about 25-30 minutes. Once ready, take them out of the oven and place them in a basket or bowl, covering them with a dry cloth. Let them rest for at least 15 minutes before enjoying them: this will make it easier to remove the skin!

PRESERVATION

It is recommended to consume baked chestnuts while still warm! When raw, chestnuts can be stored in a wicker basket without overlapping them, even for two weeks. They can be frozen raw and cooked without thawing; When cooked, they can be peeled before being frozen. To consume them in this case, they must be thawed slowly and eaten cold or heated in the oven.

ADVICE

The cooking time of chestnuts in the oven can vary depending on the size of the fruit and the oven; From time to time, move the chestnuts to achieve a homogeneous cooking.

CURIOSITY

There are more than a hundred varieties of chestnuts. The former can be recognized by their dark brown outer coating and by being small and flattened. Flour can also be produced from them, which is very versatile in the kitchen both for preparing cakes and for homemade pasta. Chestnuts, on the other hand, have an oval or heart-shaped shape with a light brown, striped skin. The sweet flesh makes them perfect for the preparation of desserts. Whether you choose chestnuts, before buying it is good to make sure that the fruit is firm and the skin has a bright and uniform color.