Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Having so many free chestnuts in my garden has made me into something of a chestnut aficionado in recent years and have tried quite a few methods of preparing them. My favorite method by far is to roast them outdoors over an open fire (yes I know there is a song about this very subject, but it is really about Christmas and contains hardly anything about what kind of fire to use, or the best way to roast them). Apparently in parts of Italy going in to the woods in autumn and roasting chestnuts on a fire is a favorite autumn pastime, which just affirms for me that the Italians really know how to live (I can't think of a nicer way to spend an afternoon).

With chestnut trees within 20 feet of my house I go into my garden for this treat, rather than into the woods. I only have to go far enough so smoke from the fire doesn’t blow into the house, which means just out past the biggest chestnut tree. I light my small fire in a metal fireplace because it has a rack that holds a Dutch oven very nicely. I use this cast iron pot because it has a thick base and distributes heat evenly (and because I already have it), but a cast iron skillet would work just as well (in Italy you can buy special chestnut roasting pans).

Before you roast the nuts they have to be punctured to allow steam to escape, otherwise they tend to explode (actually it’s more like popcorn popping, but messier). Basically you have to cut through the skin (this is usually done on the flat side as it’s easier), ideally without cutting into the nut itself. A small X is traditional but a simple slit works just as well and is quicker. Some people like to soak the punctured chestnuts in water for 15 minutes, saying it makes them moister.

Roasting the nuts couldn’t be simpler, they are simply placed in the pan over high heat and stirred frequently so they cook evenly and don’t burn on one side. The traditional way to tell when they are done is to put a couple of unpunctured nuts in the pan with the rest; when these explode the rest should be done.

The tricky part of preparing chestnuts is the peeling, as there is not only the obvious thick brown outer skin, but also a thin inner skin (pellicle). The outer skin on a cooked nut curls back at the cut and can be removed fairly easily. The inner skin is a lot harder, though it turns crisp and brittle on a well roasted nut and can usually be rubbed off. It is essential to peel chestnuts while they are hot; as they cool down the pellicle gets harder to remove and when cold it is almost impossible. One of the virtues of a heavy cast iron pan is that it holds heat and so keeps the chestnuts hot for longer.

There is something special about chestnuts that I can't quite put my finger on, they are just a wonderful food. A well cooked nut is moist, sweet and delicious and it makes my mouth water thinking about them. In fact writing about this has inspired me to go out and do it.