There is a recipe from Tuscany, Italy, called “Castagnaccio”: a naturally gluten-free cake made out of chestnut flour, water, olive oil, and a few other ingredients such as pine nuts, raisins, and sometimes rosemary or walnuts. It is a rustic, dense, and naturally gluten-free dessert that originates from the regions of Tuscany, Liguria, Piedmont, and Emilia-Romagna, where chestnuts have historically been a staple ingredient. It is usually served as a dessert or a snack, sometimes with ricotta, honey, or vin Santo (a sweet Italian dessert wine).
- It has an earthy, slightly sweet flavor derived from the chestnut flour.
- Additional ingredients like raisins and pine nuts add sweetness and texture, while rosemary adds a subtle aromatic touch.
- The cake is dense and moist, with a somewhat chewy consistency.
Typically prepared in the fall, when chestnuts are in season and chestnut flour is at its freshest, Castagnaccio is a rustic, unleavened cake that is naturally both vegan, dairy-free, sugar-free and gluten-free (actually grain-free!). It is infused with the flavors of walnuts, pine nuts, raisins, and the unexpected addition of rosemary. This blend of sweet and savory elements transforms this simple treat into a truly distinctive dessert.
Tips for storage
Since the cake is quite dry already, it can be stored in a closed box for 4-5 days.
Other recipes with chestnuts on the blog:
- Chestnut bread: a twist on a classic Artisan bread loaf, perfect to give a sophisticated touch to a Friendsgiving dinner
- Chestnut cookies, the thin and chewy kind
- Chestnut pancakes, the ideal grain-free alternative to classic pancakes
Also, if you have some fresh chestnuts on hand and don’t know what to do with them, take a look at this post on how to preserve chestnuts.
A naturally gluten-free Italian chestnut cake
8
servings5
minutes35
minutes1
hour10
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
2 cups chestnut flour (250 g)
1,5 cups water (320 g)
¼ cup pine nuts (50 g)
¼ cup raisins (40 g)
¼ cup hazelnut or walnuts (50 g)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (25 g)
½ tsp fine salt (3 g)
rosemary leaves
How to
- Mix chestnut flour with water to form a smooth batter.
- Add olive oil to the batter and combine well.
- Pour the batter into a prepared baking pan. Complete with chosen toppings such as pine nuts, raisins, rosemary, and walnuts or hazelnuts evenly over the batter.
- Bake in a static oven preheated to 380° F (195° C) for approximately 35 minutes. When a crust forms cracks on the surface and the nuts have a nice golden color, take the cake out.
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