San Donato’s Recipes Advent Calendar: The castagnaccio
If you love nuts, dried fruit and chestnuts then this is the recipe for you. Easy and fast to make, castagnaccio does require the best ingredients to ensure a truly successful dessert.
A rustic cake with an history, prepared by poorer Tuscan families since the 1500, it’s the autumnal Tuscan dessert par excellence, perfect for breakfast, merenda or after lunch or dinner treat!
Of course, as with every traditional tuscan dish, every family has a different recipe with slight variation – or not so slight considering they can lead to heated discussion, so bring it up in a conversation at your peril!
This, anyhow, is how the Fenzi family makes it and has always made it – and, to be honest, for the best!
We suggest a pairing with our Vin Santo or even with Vernaccia Grappa!
INGREDIENTS
- 300 g of Chestnut Flour
- 350 g of Cold Water
- 4/5 Extra virgin Olive oil
- 1 splash of Vin Santo
- Chocolate q.b. (optional)
- 40g raisins
- 40g of Walnuts
- Rosmary q.b.
- 40g of Pine nuts
- A pinch of salt
Turn on your oven at 200 °C (392 °F).
Place the chestnut flour in a large bowl and add a little at a time and switching between the two, the cold water and the extra virgin olive oil, finish with a splash of Vin Santo. Once you have obtained a semi fluid batter, add the raisins, pine nuts, walnuts and a few rosemary needles. Nonna Miolanne would also add dark chocolate roughly chopped, which makes a gluttonous inclusion.
Grease your baking tray and pour in the batter. Garnish with extra nuts, raisins and rosemary needles on top and with a drizzle of olive oil.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 min, or until the surface craks.
Serve cold or tepid with a glass of vin santo! If you’re feeling fancy, add sheep ricotta whipped with some sugar 😉
Buon appetito!
