Description
Rustic Tuscan chestnut cake called castagnaccio blends simple ingredients from Italian mountain regions. Rich flavors emerge through minimal preparation, connecting people with traditional Florentine culinary heritage you can savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 14 oz (400 g) chestnut flour
- 2 cups (½ L or 500 ml) water
- 6 tbsps (90 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) sugar
- ½ cup (110 ml) raisins
- ½ cup (110 ml) pine nuts
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 pinch salt
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Preparation: Sift chestnut flour into a large bowl, eliminating any potential lumps and creating a smooth foundation for the batter.
- Dry Mixture: Blend chestnut flour with sugar and salt, ensuring an even distribution of dry ingredients through thorough whisking.
- Batter Creation: Stream room-temperature water into the dry mix, vigorously stirring to develop a silky, lump-free consistency reminiscent of thin pancake batter.
- Zest Infusion: Fold in most of the orange zest, distributing the citrusy essence throughout the mixture.
- Pan Preparation: Heat a 12-inch round pizza pan in a 400°F (200°C) oven, coating with olive oil until it shimmers and becomes fragrant.
- Batter Placement: Carefully pour the chestnut batter into the scorching pan, allowing it to naturally spread and create an even surface.
- Topping Distribution: Artfully sprinkle pine nuts, raisins, rosemary leaves, and remaining orange zest across the batter’s surface, creating a rustic, textured landscape.
- Baking Process: Bake for 18-22 minutes, watching for a golden-brown crust that slightly pulls away from the pan’s edges, indicating perfect doneness.
- Serving: Allow the castagnaccio to cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve, revealing its rich, nutty interior and aromatic herb-infused top.
Notes
- Flour Sifting Matters: Remove all lumps in chestnut flour to guarantee a smooth, silky texture that defines the classic Tuscan dessert’s quality.
- Batter Consistency is Key: Aim for a pancake-like batter with no clumps, stirring gradually and constantly to achieve the perfect liquid-to-flour ratio.
- Hot Pan Technique: Preheating the pan with olive oil ensures a crisp, golden bottom and helps the batter spread evenly without sticking.
- Topping Distribution Tip: Sprinkle pine nuts, raisins, and rosemary gently across the surface for even flavor and a rustic, traditional appearance.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg