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# 70 •OCTOBER 19 , 2015
in the refrigerator) and make the truffles just before serving them. Chestnuts,
typical of the Mediterranean and Middle-East countries, are harvested in the
autumn. It is a common family pastime
to take a walk in the woods on a warm
autumn day and to pick up chestnuts, to
enjoy later after boiling in water or roasting them over a grill. Chestnuts are
very nutritious, rich in complex carbohydrates (a good source of energy), vitamins (especially B group), minerals (magnesium, potassium and phosphorus)
and fiber. They are very versatile, I use
them both in savory (soups and fillings)
and sweet recipes. In Italy we also use
chestnut flour to prepare bread, polenta and the well known cake "castagnaccio". Have you ever thought about the
difference between marrons (marroni)
and chestnuts? Marroni are the fruit of
the domestic chestnut tree; they are slightly sweeter and contain only one fruit
per burr. Chestnuts, on the other hand,
are the fruit of the wild chestnut tree and
have three fruits per burr. Apart from this
botanical distinction they are both very
tasty.
TARTUFI DI CASTAGNE
(Chestnut truffels)
Preparation time: 1 1/2 hrs
Cooking time: 1 hr
Yield: 25 truffles
INGREDIENTS
500 g (18 oz) chestnuts or 300 g (about
11 oz) peeled chestnuts
2 bay leaves
50 g (3 tablespoons) butter at room temperature
60 g (2 oz) dark chocolate
3 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons milk
5o g (2/3 cup) powdered sugar
2 tablespoon Maraschino liquor
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Muffin cups
DIRECTIONS
1. In a pan boil chestnuts in salted water and bay leaves for at least one hour
(chestunts should be tender). Drain, remove shells and inner skins.
2. While chestnuts are still hot pass through a food mill (if chestnuts are too dry,
add the milk). Mix the milled chestnuts
and butter well with a wooden spoon in
a clean bowl.
3. Melt chocolate in a double boiler and
add to the chestnut puree. Add cream,
sugar, vanilla and Maraschino. Mix with a
spoon until creamy.
4. Cover the bowl with cling paper and
leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour (you
can keep the dough in the refrigerator
for more then 24 hours). It should be
firm.
5. Shape into balls of 2.5 cm (1 inch) diameter using the palms of your hands.
Dust with cocoa powder and place in
small muffin cups. It is better to coat
them with the cocoa just before serving,
because the cocoa will be absorbed.
Note: When buying chestnuts make
sure they are firm, that the skin is intact
and the color bright. You can keep chestnuts in the refrigerator (2-3°C , 34°F)
for about 1 month.
WE THE ITALIANS | 45
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