Chestnut cake with chestnuts is a traditional Italian dessert deeply linked to the autumn season and the culture of mountainous areas, where chestnuts (a prized variety of chestnut) played a fundamental role in nutrition for centuries. Prepared with a few simple ingredients — chestnut flour, water, extra virgin olive oil, and a pinch of salt — it is often enriched with raisins, pine nuts, and rosemary needles that add aromas and contrasts to the dish.
Its consistency is dense, moist, and pasty inside, while the surface tends to form a slightly cracked and aromatic crust.The origins of chestnut cake date back at least to the 16th century, and for a long time it was known as “poor man’s bread” due to the simplicity of its ingredients, which made it accessible even in the most modest rural communities. Over time, each region and each family has handed down different variations: some include walnuts, orange zest, honey, or other local aromas.
Chestnut cake can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature. Its flavor is characterized by a bittersweet note typical of chestnut flour, balanced by the sweetness of raisins and the delicacy of pine nuts, while rosemary adds a woody and aromatic touch. It is a rustic dessert that embodies humble but characterful cuisine, designed to enhance a simple ingredient transformed with care and ingenuity.
