Friday, October 29, 2010

'Tis the chestnut season

LA CASTAGNA CICCIOTELLA (The fat chestnut)
La castagna cicciottella
si lamenta che sta stretta
dentro al riccio poverella
e di uscire ha una gran fretta

Quando è autunno inoltrato
con compagne e le sorelle
fa un bel salto giù nel prato
divertentendosi a crepapelle

Fra le foglie si nasconde
e le altre stanno all'erta
cade il riccio dalle fronde
ride e resta a.. bocca aperta

Ma per poco durò il giochino 
le raccolsero in un cestino
e la castagna cicciottella
si trovò in una padella.

From computer to chestnuts! Admittedly my tastes are to put it mildly: eclectic. The way I dress, my choice of music, down to my interests. I adore my computer and I love home-cooking.

A typical Ticino product is the chestnut. The local custom has the children collecting chestnuts in the woods to roast or to create decorations. Chestnuts are used as flour, bread, cakes, pasta, jam, oatmeal and even schnapps. It is also used in recipes for marron glacé or to accompany a delicious platter of game.
Throughout the streets of Lugano the flavor of roasted chestnuts accompanies autumn days.

My favourite Chestnut muffin recipe:
Ingredients:
250gr melted butter
250gr sugar
200gr ground almonds
300gr of chestnut purée
4 eggs

Preparation:
1.) Mix egg yolks with sugar
2.) Add melted butter, ground almonds and the chestnut purée
3.) Mix well
4.) Whisk egg whites until peaked
5.) Add egg whites delicately to the chestnut mixture
6.) Pour into muffin mold filled with muffin cases
7.) Bake in preheated oven at 200°C for about 30 minutes. 




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