Toscana’s castagnaccio

Tuscany is my favorite region in Italy, there is everything there.. good food, fine wine, history, art.. and a perfect countryside that you have to discover hanging around with your cabriolet car stopping just to a have a glass of chianti.. and a slice of castagnaccio!

This is not a cake for everybody. It’s not sweet, not fat, taste healthy. Actually it is healthy, chestnut flour is very good for your body! I have to admit that for many years I avoided castagnaccio, but now I found a recipe that I like and I started to eat it, of course also some of my customers like it.. the ones who love carrot cake!

raisin

How to do it like a perfect Femme de Toscane: mix 500g organic chestnut flour, 125g milk, 550g water, 70g rum, 30g olive oil with macerated rosemary inside (one night is better), a pinch of salt. After add: 40g raisin and 40g pine nuts. Put in greased pans (2 squared pans of 22cm side) spread some rosemary oil on the top and put in preheated oven (180°C) for 35 minutes

Ah ah brownie pan works also for castagnaccio!

Vegan note: just replace milk with soy milk and it will be perfect, but don’t tell it in Tuscany!