The "castagnaccio" is also known as ghirighio in Prato, baldino in Arezzo, or pattona in some other North Italian dialect. It is a traditional Tuscan cake (but also prepared in other regions), made with chestnut flour, enriched with pine nuts, raisins, orange zest, and a spinkle of rosmary.
There are several recipes that varies in the types of nuts added, and in the thickness of the cake. Some people prefer it taller and softer, others thinner and slightly crispy on top. I belong to the second category, and I love it quite thin and with a delicate crust on top, with the addition of walnuts too 😋
Ingredients
170 g chestnut flour
230 g water
1.5 g salt
orange zest cut into thin stripes
25 g raisins (soaked and squeezed to remove the eccess of water)
30 g pine nuts
30 g walnuts or pecans
rosemary
Extra virgin olive oil
- Using a whisk mix well the chestnut flour and salt with water, mix until the dough is smooth and there are no lumps.
- Add the orange zest, the raisins, the pine nuts, the walnuts, and a few leaves of rosemary. Mix well.
- Grease well the baking tray with the oil. Better to use a non stick one, otherwise cover the tray with the baking paper, to avoid the cake to stick to the tray.
- Pour the dough in the tray, sprinkle some pine nuts and rosemary on top, and finish it with a drizzle of oil.
- Stick in the oven at 190 degrees for about 35 minutes (or until a thin crust has formed on top).
Buon appetito!!
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