SC - interesting URL - food shopping!

[DeSevyngy at aol.com]

<< > Diana wrote:
 > 
 > I've found a lovely site that has chestnut flour.
 > Any ideas what to do with it?

 Adamantius responded:

<< There's a northern Italian um, I don't know what to call it... a gateau,
 perhaps. A big flat cake, or maybe an enormous cookie, made with
 chestnut flour and pignoles. Castignacci? I'll have to take a bit to
 look up details.
  >>

 It is, in fact, called Castagnaccio, and resembles the funny cakelike bar 
cookies that my mom was so fond of making when I was a kid.  I found out 
later, she didn't have the patience to spoon out individual cookies and keep 
an eye out the window while I was out inventing tackle-asphault-baseball and 
games of the kind, so all the dough went in a big pan!  

This recipe that I share below is from one of Lorenza de'Medici cookbooks.  
While the printing of this recipe is decidedly OOP, the root recipe is a 
period one.  I do recall several years ago (maybe a decade), seeing this 
recipe in a period source book and recalling that is was pretty much 
identical to the one I had in Lorenza's book.  Unfortunately, this was at a 
time when my only interest in the SCA was fighting, hence, I neglected to 
even write down the name of the source.  Bad Isabeau, no biscuit.  

At any rate, the full recipe and authors comments are below.  I have made 
this recipe several times (every time I have chestnut flour) and it is 
fabulous.  If you plan on serving it at a feast, I strongly suggest that you 
serve it at lunch, freshly out of the oven.  It definately get heavy and a 
bit greasy when let to sit too long.  Also, this recipe for 6 calls for an 
11-in non-springform tart pan, although I now have one especially for this 
cake, I used a glass 9x13in casserole pan for years with no ill effect to the 
texture or baking time of the cake.

Hmm, a dear friend of mine is going to be the chef at our Baronies annual 
winter formal feast next year.  I wonder if I can bribe her into putting this 
cake on the menu?!? <veg>

Oh, and those of you who have been so kind as to offer well wishes and 
support to me while I've been questing to quit smoking.  My thanks, it has 
now been just shy of one month and I feel great.  My blood pressure has gone 
from an average of 134/84 with a pulse of 140bpm, to 115/74 with a pulse of 
72, I even strapped on the running shoes and took a speed walk this morning.  
Now, I feel like cooking!

Isabeau
_________________________________
Castagnaccio
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chestnut cake
_________________________________

This is an ancient and very popular cake recipe. Castagnaccio is
often sold in the streets of Florence during autumn and early 
winter.  It is best when freshly made, and should be served warm.
_________________________________

1/4 cup (1oz/30g) raisins
3 cups (12oz/375g) chestnut flour
2 1/2 cups (20 fl oz/600ml) water
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt
1/4 cup (1 1/2oz/45g) pine nuts
2 fresh rosemary sprigs, finely chopped
_________________________________

+ Soak the raisins in water to cover for 1 hour.
+ In a bowl, mix the flour, water, 2 tablespoons olive oil
and the salt to form a creamy dough.
+ Add 3 tablespoons pine nuts and the rosemary.
+ Preheat oven to 450*F (230*C). Pour the remaining oil
into an 11-in (27-cm) tart pan (do not use a pan with 
removable bottom) and add the dough. Do not pour off
excess oil.
+ Drain the raisins. Sprinkle the dough with the raisins
and the remaining pine nuts. Bake for about 20 minutes or
until the surface of the castagnaccio begins to crack.
+ Pour off the excess oil. Remove castagnaccio from
the pan and serve warm.
__________________________________
serves 6
__________________________________

HL Isabeau de Sevyngy
Squired to Sir Sakura kita no Maikeru
Shire of Gryphon's Lair
Artemisia