how to roast chestnuts at home

two of my favourite street foods to nibble on when visiting paris are nutella crepes and roasted chestnuts! now that winter is upon us in australia, chestnuts are available in abundance at the markets. they have a delicate and slightly sweet flavour with a soft texture similar to sweet potato. so delicious. i highly recommend trying them.

INGREDIENTS

• chestnuts

  (when buying them, it’s important to look at the shells. they should be shiny and hard, with a vibrant brown colour. look for chestnuts that are heavy for their size, and don’t rattle when you shake them.)

• optional maple syrup drizzle

METHOD

preheat the oven to 200C. place each chestnut flat-side down on a chopping board. hold the chestnut carefully and, using a sharp knife, cut a long slit or a cross in the top. make sure you cut through the shell but not the nut inside. the shell is tough and flexible like a skin rather than rock hard like other nut shells, so a small kitchen knife works well.

place nuts onto a baking sheet or into a roasting tin and arrange them cut-side up. roast for 15-30 minutes depending on oven. the cuts should open up and the shell will start to peel back.

leave the nuts on the baking tray to cool down to warm – they will be very hot inside. or place them in a bowl and cover to steam which will make them easier to peel :)

they are perfect to eat just as they are… i also tried them with a little drizzle of maple syrup.

enjoy!

N x