the Castagnaccio

It is called Migliaccio in Florence, Baldino in Arezzo, Ghirighio in the Prato area. What are we talking about? Of castagnaccio! It is said that he was born from the creativity and the pen of Pilade da Lucca, who spoke in his writings (1553) of the "castagnazzo" and that raised him from a poor dish of the peasant families to sweet of lineage of the city of Siena.
There were two versions. The first included a dough in a pan, which became a thick, chapped surface. The other was made with thin "rods", cooked in a plate and served immediately, very hot. How to recognize the authentic Tuscan castagnaccio from the one spread throughout the rest of Italy? It must be no more than 1 cm high. In addition to pine nuts, walnuts and raisins (added in the 1800s), rosemary or rosemary is added.
Curiosity
The rosemary leaves used in the chestnut cake were considered a love filter: the boy who ate the cake offered to him by a girl would have fallen in love with her and would have married her.
In the kitchen
A dessert without gluten, no added sugar, no milk, no yeast. Suitable for everyone, for those who follow the vegan diet, for those who do not tolerate lactose and yeasts, for those who do not want to give up sweets, without guilt, and stay in shape. And, with or without, the magical setting of a crackling fireplace, in addition to tradition, the castagnaccio combines togetherness, in a subtle game made of history, taste, pleasure.

INGREDIENTS


500 g chestnut flour

100 g of shelled walnuts

6 tablespoons of olive oil

750 ml of water

80g of raisins

1 handful of rosemary needles

1 pinch of salt



Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Soak the raisins in warm water. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the salt. Slowly pour the water and mix until you get a smooth batter. Dry the raisins, add them to chopped walnuts and pine nuts. Set aside a small amount of these three ingredients. Oil a low baking pan to pour the mixture into by finally covering it with: with pine nuts, raisins and rosemary, pour over another 2 tablespoons of oil before baking, cook for 30 minutes. Excellent hot, warm or cold.