Roasted Chestnuts

Roasted chestnuts are chestnuts cooked over embers, a classic during Italian autumn and winter, especially during festivals and country fairs. Here’s how to prepare them at home.

Ingredients

• Fresh chestnuts
• Coarse salt (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C if you choose to prepare the roasted chestnuts in the oven, otherwise prepare a lively ember if you choose the traditional method.
2. Score the chestnuts with a horizontal cut on the curved side, making sure to cut only the outer shell without cutting the flesh too deeply. This step is crucial to prevent the chestnuts from exploding during cooking and to facilitate their opening once cooked.
3. If you’re using coarse salt, you can roll the scored chestnuts in the salt to add a bit of flavor and to help remove the skin better after cooking.
4. Arrange the chestnuts on a baking sheet if opting for oven cooking, or in a perforated pan (typical chestnut pan) if opting for ember cooking.
5. If you are baking in the oven, cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the outer skins have opened and the chestnuts are soft to the touch.
6. If you are cooking over embers, turn them frequently to cook evenly and check doneness after about 15 minutes.
7. Once cooked, wrap the chestnuts in a clean cloth and let them rest for a few minutes, this makes it easier to peel off the outer skin.
8. Serve warm and enjoy this simple but delightful autumnal pleasure.

Curiosity

Roasted chestnuts are often associated with traditional festivals, such as All Saints’ Day and the commemoration of the departed. Walking through the cool autumnal streets with a cone made of newspaper pages filled with steaming roasted chestnuts is a memory shared by many Italians.