Zuppa di Castagne (Chestnut Soup) is a traditional Italian recipe for a classic soup of peeled chestnuts, onion, carrot and celery cooked in a stock base and served with bread. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Italian version of: Chestnut Soup (Zuppa di Castagne).
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Ingredients:
340g chestnuts
60g bacon fat or butter
2 onions, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, scraped and chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
1.5l stock or water
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
freshly-grated nutmeg, to taste
slices of fried bread
Method:
Score the chestnuts a couple of times on their rounded base, cutting through the shells, then arrange on a baking tray and transfer to an oven pre-heated to 150°C and bake for about 10 minutes. After this time remove the chestnuts from the oven then carefully remove the outer and the papery inner skins.
Melt the bacon fat (or butter) in a saucepan, then add the vegetables and fry for about 8 minutes, or until the onion is golden brown. Add the peeled chestnuts then stir in the stock and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the chestnuts are completely tender.
Take off the heat then rub through a fine-meshed sieve to purée. Pour back into the pan and adjust the seasonings to taste. Add a pinch of freshly-grated nutmeg then allow the mixture to heat through.
Ladle into warmed soup bowls and serve accompanied by sliced bread.
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