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A sweet of the poor tradition, but rich in taste and vitamins, the castagnaccio is a real pleasure without guilt. Irresistible with a cup of steaming tea on rainy afternoons or as an energetic breakfast before a busy day, every bite smells of autumn.

The undisputed queen of this preparation is chestnut flour, autumnal, genuine and with a high calorie content. This is why castagnaccio has been a unique, substantial and delicious dish for the peasant population of the regions of central and northern Italy.

The ancient recipe does not require the use of animal ingredients, it is totally plant based and gluten-free. Other good news: the sweet taste of chestnut flour allows to avoid sugar or sweeteners in the dough. In short, it is a real pamper, suitable for all palates and diets!

The preparation is very simple, just get a few ingredients: here you are our recipe for you below.

Ingredients

• 250 g of chestnut flour
• 300 ml of water
• 50 g of raisins
• 30 g of pine nuts
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

Preparation 

All the ingredients are on the table, the desire to knead is there ... so roll up your sleeves and start cooking! First, put the raisins to soak in the water to soften. Meanwhile, sift the chestnut flour, add the water little by little with a bit of salt, mix vigorously with a whisk to avoid lumps.

Mix until the dought is homogeneous and not too liquid, if necessary add a little flour or water to calibrate the consistency. Now toast the pine nuts in a pan for a couple of minutes, until they are crunchy and tasty. Add them to the dought, with the well-squeezed raisins and mix everything well.

Let us bake now! Pour a drop of oil into the pan, trying to convey it to every corner, then pour the castagnaccio into it. Enrich the surface of your cake with aromatic rosemary needles, a handful of pine nuts and raisins and complete with a few more drops of oil. Bake for 10 minutes at 200 degrees, then put the temperature to 220 degrees and cook for another 20-25 minutes. You will notice the perfect moment to churn from the surface, which will should crack and toast very well.

Let the castagnaccio cool before serving and, if you want to enjoy it in all its flavor, pair it with a glass of wine or local vin santo.