Castagnaccio, made with chestnut flour is a very rustic cake originally from Toscany, but also very typical and traditional of the Appenine areas of Umbria, Marche, Piemonte, Liguria, Lazio and Emilia Romagna.
This recipe, known as "poor dish", it is a very old one handed down from generations, which continue to be prepared mostly around the countryside and mountains territory.
Typically an Italian autumn and winter dish, this rustic cake is obtained by cooking a mixture of chestnut flour, water, extra virgin olive oil, pine nuts and raisins in the oven.
Local variations include the addition of other ingredients, such as rosemary, orange peel, fennel seeds or dried fruit. Ideal accompaniment to castagnaccio are ricotta or chestnut honey, new wine, or sweet wines such as vin santo.
There is a legend attached to the rosemary leaves of the Castagnaccio, who have the power of a love potion when a young man eats the cake received from the hands of a gils he falls madly in love with her.
INGREDIENTS:
350g chestnut flour
560ml warm water
70g brown sugar
3 and 1/2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
40g pine nuts
40g raisins
1 spring of fresh rosemary
a pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 392°F static
or 180°C / 356°F fan
Briefly toast the pine nuts in a pan and soak the raisins for half an hour in a bowl with cold water.
In a bowl, pour the sifted chestnut flour, brown sugar and a pinch of salt.
Mix well the ingredients, then add the water slowly and mix with a whisk.
Add the well-drained and squeezed raisins and pine nuts by keeping some to decorate the top later. Then add the oil and continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
At this point, oil a pan with the help of a brush and pour the mixture into it.
Choose a tray with a 1,5cm depth.
Decorate the surface with the remaining, raisins, pine nuts and a rosemary.
Bake at 200°C / 392°F static
or 180°C / 356°F fan for around 50/60 minutes depending of your oven intensity.
Let it cool for at least 20/30 minutes before serving. My best advice to accompanied il Castagnaccio with vin santo, "novello" red wine or mulled wine!
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