Roasted Chestnuts

Name: Roasted Chestnuts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Chestnuts 2.2 lbs

400

Calories per serving

Gluten Free
Lactose Free
Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 400
Carbohydrates g 84.8
of which sugars g 16.2
Protein g 7
Fats g 3.6
of which saturated fat g 0.62
Fiber g 18
Sodium mg 22

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Serving: 4 persone
Cost: Low

PRESENTATION

In the streets of cities, especially during festive occasions or on Sundays, one often encounters vendors selling sweets and other delicacies. Here you can find many small comforting sweets, like candies or pralines almonds. Then the eye catches the corners of the street, where there are often roasted chestnut vendors: a magic that only autumn can grant us. Buying a cone of these still steaming delicacies, crunching them one by one while warming your hands and delighting your taste buds is a pleasure that cannot be missed. Hot and roasted chestnuts transform into roasted chestnuts to catch the attention of passersby with an incisive and effective expression... how many of you have already been attracted by the irresistible aroma of roasted chestnuts cooked over embers? In a hurry, you probably couldn't stop, but if the desire hasn't faded, don't worry, today we reveal how to make them at home! The classic cooking method involves using a special pan that has large holes at the base allowing the flame to contact the chestnuts but without burning them too much. Follow our tips and perhaps accompany the roasted chestnuts with a nice mulled wine to recreate at home the same atmosphere that street vendors provide in small villages and big cities!

If you don't have the perforated pan, you can follow the recipe for chestnuts with salt, boiled, the oven-baked version, or air fryer chestnuts, and if you want to prepare a delicious snack, here are our cakes or a fantastic chestnut jam!

INGREDIENTS: Chestnuts 2.2 lbs (1 kg)

Preparation

How to prepare Roasted Chestnuts

To prepare roasted chestnuts in a pan, get chestnuts of roughly the same size (or marrons) and check them one by one to ensure they are intact, without any stains or holes. Score them by making a cut about 1 inch long (this will prevent them from exploding during cooking) 1, then transfer the chestnuts to a larger bowl 2 and pour in the water 3: let them soak for at least 2 hours.

Drain them well, dry them, then place the chestnuts in the perforated pan and cook over medium heat 4 for about 30 minutes 5, stirring them often. To avoid burning the outer part of the chestnuts and risking having an uncooked product inside, it is advisable to place a flame spreader under the pan. If you don't have this tool, don't worry, just keep the pan slightly raised and stir the chestnuts very often. Once an even cooking is achieved, remove them from the pan and place them in a container, preferably breathable. You can serve the roasted chestnuts in a straw paper cone 6.

Storage

It is advisable to consume roasted chestnuts in a pan while still hot to enjoy their full fragrance and be able to peel them easily. Alternatively, you can store them for a maximum of 1-2 days.

Advice

A trick to obtain excellent roasted chestnuts in a pan is to wet a paper bag (a bread bag will do) and cover the chestnuts during cooking, making sure it doesn’t dry out, as it would then burn. During cooking, wet it frequently: this will allow the roasted chestnuts to cook while retaining some of their moisture, thus remaining softer.

To make peeling the roasted chestnuts easier, wrap them in a damp cloth when they are still hot and wait a few minutes!

If you don't have the perforated pan, you can cook the chestnuts in a preheated oven at 482°F for about 35 minutes.

Curiosity

In Sicily, but especially in Palermo, the roasted chestnuts sold on the street, instead of being blackened by the ash, are completely white. This happens because once the chestnuts are cooked, a handful of salt is added directly to the embers, which produces a white, dense smoke that sticks to the chestnuts. This not only flavors them but also makes them easier to peel. If you prefer, you can also add a pinch of salt during cooking!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.