Castagnaccio recipe david rocco biography

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It uses just a handful of pantry ingredients each one chosen for depth and meaning. The dense texture, infused with olive oil, rosemary, and fruit, is perfect with a glass of Vin Santo, black coffee, or even warm milk.

Because it has no added sugar, it leans toward savory but its natural sweetness deepens as it rests.

A few even bake it with a paper-thin layer of dark chocolate over the top melting slightly as the cake cools, adding indulgence without losing authenticity. Once you have your ingredients ready, the rest is effortless and we’ll show you how in the next section.

Step-by-Step – How to Make Castagnaccio the Tuscan Way

Simple steps to follow for this castagnaccio recipe Tuscany-style

Making castagnaccio may seem humble, but every step counts.

If you’re craving more classic Tuscan ingredients, visit our guide to Tuscan kale recipes for more regional inspiration.

This ingredient list reflects more than taste it reflects a tradition of resourceful cooking, where simplicity shines and every ingredient has meaning. She just called it “cake.”

It’s a recipe that connects you not only to Tuscan culture but also to the rhythm of real cooking where you pause, breathe, and taste.

Let the cake cool before slicing it sets as it rests. All Rights Reserved.

If you’ve ever wondered what fall tastes like in Tuscany, the answer is castagnaccio. If you want a little more insurance, you can line the bottom with a piece of parchment and then oil the parchment.

  • Activate the yeast by mixing it with about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the milk and setting it aside to become foamy, about 5 minutes or so.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the chestnut flour, salt, and lemon zest.
  • Stir in the olive oil until mostly evenly mixed.

    Stir in half of your soaked raisins and half of the chopped nuts.

    3. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the top is golden and the castagnaccio pulls away from the sides

    • Copyright © 2025 WABC-TV. Whether you follow the traditional path or try your own twist, castagnaccio invites you to slow down and savor the earthy beauty of Tuscan cooking.

    So pour a glass of wine, gather your ingredients, and bake with heart.

    It’s this kind of adaptability and simplicity that makes castagnaccio timeless.

    Keep reading to discover the essential ingredients that bring castagnaccio to life in your own kitchen. I remember my grandmother pulling the wide, shallow pan from the wood-fired oven, its crackled surface dotted with rosemary needles and plump raisins.

    The cake is very dry, then turns gummy when you chew it, and I definitely recommend having something to wash it down (though you should probably just make a non-wartime version). The oil and the pan have to be extremely hot, so hot that when the batter goes in, the whole thing sizzles. Traditionally, it’s cut into wedges or squares and served at room temperature.

    Serve at room temperature.

    • Traditional castagnaccio has no sugar or leavening. In modern Tuscan homes, you’ll sometimes find versions with orange zest folded into the batter for a citrusy kick, or a splash of red wine replacing some of the water for depth.

      Some cooks mix in chopped figs or dried apricots alongside raisins.

      Slowly whisk in 2 cups of cold water until you reach a smooth, pourable batter similar in consistency to pancake batter.

      castagnaccio recipe david rocco biography

      This is a cake for quiet afternoons, for storytelling, for honoring the past.

      You’ll find versions of castagnaccio throughout Central Italy, but the Tuscan one holds its own unapologetically rustic and honest. A shallow dish works best, as the cake should be no thicker than about 1/2 inch.

      2.