To me roasted chestnuts means the arrival of winter, snow and Christmas, and although in Venezuela roasted chestnuts are not a thing, I learnt to eat them whilst living in Calabria where you find them in every corner throughout the Christmas season.
Every where you go in Calabria there is a “calderoste” (roasted chestnut) point, some made in the traditional fashion, ie roasted and some other made in ash, yes, ash!! But this is for another post.
Not only I never eat roasted chestnut before living in Calabria, let alone I knew how to make them. Thankfully hubby also likes them and at home his parents, as in every household in Calabria, made them constantly throughout Christmas, so he knew how to make them for me! 🙂
Fast forward a few years I learnt how to make them and now I want to share it with you guys because I know not many people actually know to properly roast them.
Of course the best way to roast them would be in the BBQ, but in winter who fires up their BBQ, so I’m going to share with you how to make them in the oven.
So in this post there is no printed recipe because is more of a method that I’m sharing rather that a recipe at such
MAKING ROASTED CHESTNUTS IN THE BBQ
When making roasted chestnuts in the BBQ you have to follow the same method as for the oven, ie the cut at the bottom of the chestnut to allow steam to go out and avoid a chestnut explosion.
The difference will be that you won’t put them on a roasting tray but
BEST WAY TO EAT LEFTOVER ROASTED CHESTNUTS
The best way to eat roasted chestnuts will be no doubt just roasted, of course after letting them cool down a bit, but still warm with that roasted smoky flavour, mmmmm yum!!
That’s why in Calabria people only roast what they’re going to eat at that moment, even if they have to make them everyday, they will not eat roasted chestnuts from the day before, unless they’re using them to add to a recipe.
But, if you’re happy to eat roasted chestnuts from the day before a good tip is to roast them again! Put them in a roasting tray and back in the oven until they are warm around 10 – 15 minutes at 200C.
They will never be as good as roasted from raw, but, is a good compromise. Otherwise chop the cold chestnuts and add them to a salad, or filling for some sort of bake or roast.
So guys I hope you do try to make roasted chestnuts at home, they are really delicious and impossible just to have one.
As always if you like this recipe or post rate below and leave your comments!! If you take a picture of your creation tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #miterrunofood.
See you next week with another delicious recipe
HAPPY COOKING!! 🙂
