We usually associate them with a lit fireplace and a glass of new wine and few can resist it. THE browns they are the autumn fruit par excellence and from September the streets of the cities smell of roasted chestnuts, thanks to the stalls that sell them roasted inside paper cartons. In supermarkets or on market stalls, on the other hand, they can be found raw, loose or in 5kg bags. But how they cook chestnuts at home?

Chestnuts and marroni: what are the differences?

First of all it is good to clarify the difference between chestnuts And browns.
Chestnuts have a rounded shape while chestnuts are more elongated, often have an irregular shape and are larger than chestnuts. Opening the outer hedgehog we can see that the chestnut one contains three while the brown one contains a maximum of two. Finally, chestnuts have a uniform color while browns are lighter with dark streaks.

How to cook roasted chestnuts

Surely the most common method for cooking chestnuts is that of roast them with the classic pan with the bottom pierced on the fire.
You can do this either on the embers than on gas hob. First, check that the peel of the chestnuts is intact and without holes, then with a small knife make an incision across the width of the rounded part of the fruit.

Then put the chestnuts inside the perforated pan and place the pan on the embers, stirring it from time to time during cooking. The chestnuts will be ready when the pulp has turned a nice deep yellow color.

To roast the chestnuts on the gas hob instead you have to place one spread the flame under the pan with holes and cooking must take place over low heat.
In both cases, after cooking, it is good to wrap the chestnuts with a cotton tea towel clean and wait a couple of minutes. In this way the skin will come off more easily.

How to cook boiled chestnuts

Delicious and to try at least once only i browns boiled. The preparation is really very simple. Wash and cut the chestnuts. Put them in a saucepan covering them with cold water which must be equal to three times the volume of the chestnuts. Add a tablespoon of coarse salt and aromas of your choice (bay leaf, cloves, sage). Cover the pot with a lid and cook the chestnuts for about 40 minutes. Once cooked, drain, peel and enjoy.

How to cook chestnuts in the microwave

Have you ever tried to cook i browns In the microwave oven? Follow our directions. Score the chestnuts from the rounded side and soak them in warm water for about 10 minutes. After this time, drain the chestnuts and place them on the microwave plate with the cut facing up and spacing them apart. Turn on the microwave oven at maximum power for 5 minutes and then cook for 1 minute with the grill function (if your oven does not have this function, extend the cooking to a total of 6 minutes).
When the chestnuts are cooked, wrap them in a clean cotton cloth and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Cook the chestnuts in salt

A very easy cooking that allows to obtain browns super soft and easy to peel. Score a kilo of chestnuts on the rounded part and soak them in warm water for about half an hour. Pour a kilo of coarse salt and put the pot on the stove.
Heat the salt well, put the chestnuts on top and close with a lid. Cook for about 30 minutes over medium heat (cooking time depends on the size of the chestnuts), turning the chestnuts halfway through cooking. When they are cooked and soft, remove them from the pan and wrap them with a damp cloth for about 5 minutes before serving.

Cooking the chestnuts in the oven

To get the classics roasted chestnuts cooking them in the oven at home First you have to soak the chestnuts in cold water for an hour. After this time, drain them, make an incision in the flat part and place them inside a pan, spacing them apart. Preheat the oven in static mode to the maximum temperature and when it is hot, bake the chestnuts for about 30 minutes or until they are scorched on the outside. Remove the chestnuts from the oven, cover with a cotton cloth and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.

All these recipes can be replicated to cook chestnuts too!

Scroll through the gallery for all the images and further tips!

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