Autumn brings with it the chestnuts, one of the best and most versatile gifts of the forest there is! We think of chestnuts and the unmistakable scent of roasted chestnuts on the street comes to mind. A scent that tastes of autumn. In today's article we will teach you, step by step how to cook chestnuts to recreate that magical atmosphere at home.

So, whether you are organizing a nice outing in the mountains to pick them up or you just feel like it, get yourself a good amount of chestnuts, because they are never enough. Remember: whatever way you want to cook chestnuts, the first step is wash them under abundant running water to eliminate all impurities.

How to cook chestnuts in a pan

But where do you go if you don't have a perforated pan? Essential. So first get the traditional one perforated iron pan and heat it over very low heat. Meanwhile, with a very sharp knife, engrave horizontally the peel of the chestnuts taking care of Not also cut the fruit and put them in the pan. Raise the heat slightly and move the pan from time to time to roast them well. Once they are ready (it will take about 30 minutes) rub them with a clean cloth to remove the most scorched parts and keep them warm before serving. Obviously, you can cook chestnuts even without using the perforated pan. How to proceed? Place one flame spreaders on the fire and lean on one very large pan, let it heat up and roast the engraved chestnuts until they are well roasted!

How to cook chestnuts in the oven

If you decide to use this method you will need to first of all heat the oven to 180 degrees. The next step is to engrave the chestnuts horizontally and place them on the oven plate. When the oven has reached the temperature, bake and leave cook for about 30 minutes. Again, keep them warm before serving.

An advice: whether you decide to cook chestnuts in a pan or in the oven, remember to transfer them to a clean and slightly moistened cloth to keep them soft and prevent them from drying out in contact with the air.

Roasted chestnuts in salt cooked in a pan

Here, these are ours favorite. Here we find our beloved contrasts between the sweet chestnut and the more savory note given by the salt. Preparing them in this way is also very simple but, remember to use a large pan and above all not perforated. Pour 1 kilo of coarse salt into the bottom of the pan and arrange the previously cut chestnuts, cover with a lid and cook for about 30 minutes. Move the pan from time to time in circular motions; once ready, wrap them in a clean cloth and finally remove the excess salt and burnt parts. Eat them still hot!

Boiled chestnuts
First rule: the proportions. For 1 kilo of chestnuts it takes 3 liters of water. First of all, take a very large pot with high sides, put the chestnuts in it and pour in 3 liters of water. Depending on the use you will make of it, you can decide whether flavor them with a pinch of salt and a few bay leaves or leave them natural. From the moment the water begins to boil, calculate 40 minutes and drain. Now peel them and eat them as they are or use them to prepare roasts, side dishes, chestnuts, sweet chestnuts …
If you decide, instead, to cook them in pressure cooker, the procedure is the same but the cooking times change. In this case, calculate 20 minutes from the whistle, turn off the flame, let it breathe, open the pot and enjoy your chestnuts!

October 2021
Giulia Ferrari