Kitchen Recipe Collection
Italian Castagnaccio (Chestnut Flour Cake)
An ancient, naturally vegan and gluten-free Tuscan autumn cake made from chestnut flour, olive oil, pine nuts, and rosemary.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- italian
Ingredients
Scaled for 8 servings
- chestnut flour (high quality)
- water
- extra virgin olive oil
- pine nuts
- raisins
- fresh rosemary sprigs
- walnuts
- salt
Equipment
- Shallow baking pan
- Whisk
Instructions
- 1
Soak Raisins
Soak the raisins in warm water for 10 minutes to plump them up, then drain and squeeze out excess water.
- 2
Sift the Flour
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Crucially, sift the chestnut flour into a large bowl. Chestnut flour is notoriously lumpy.
- 3
Add Water
Gradually pour cold water into the flour while whisking continuously to prevent lumps.
- 4
Achieve Consistency
The batter should be smooth, liquid, and runny, similar to a crepe batter. Add a pinch of salt.
- 5
Add Mix-ins
Stir in two-thirds of the soaked raisins, pine nuts, and chopped walnuts.
- 6
Prepare the Pan
Pour a generous amount of good quality olive oil into a shallow, round baking pan. Ensure the bottom and sides are coated.
- 7
Pour Batter
Pour the liquid batter into the pan. It should only be about half an inch thick.
- 8
Top the Cake
Scatter the remaining raisins, pine nuts, and walnuts over the top.
- 9
Add Rosemary
Sprinkle fresh rosemary needles evenly across the surface. This savory herb is essential to the flavor profile.
- 10
Oil Drizzle
Drizzle the top with a little more extra virgin olive oil.
- 11
Bake
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is cracked like dry earth and the edges are crispy and pulling away from the pan.
- 12
Serve
Let it cool. Serve slices cold or at room temperature with a strong coffee or, traditionally, fresh ricotta.
Cooking Tips
- There is no sugar in this recipe. The sweetness comes entirely from the quality of the chestnut flour and the raisins.
- Do not make the cake too thick; it is meant to be thin and slightly dense, not fluffy.
Variations
- Add Orange Zest: Grate fresh orange zest into the batter for a brighter, citrusy note.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A quintessential 'cucina povera' dish, created when chestnuts were the primary food source in the Apennine mountains.
Nutrition Estimate
250 calories · 4g protein · 32g carbs · 12g fat · 4g fiber per serving
