This week, as promised, I start a series of recipes dedicated to chestnuts. Chestnuts are a wonderful and versatile ingredient, full of fibre, nutrients and vitamins. Basically, they are carbohydrates, but they also contains some good proteins and are gluten-free. These fruits are usually roasted or boiled, sometimes used to enrich salads, stews or soups. Chestnuts flour is also quite popular, often used to make tasty breads and various desserts. Candied chestnuts are also an amazing ingredient when it comes to making desserts, but they are usually quite expensive.

Today I am publishing a salad with crunchy roasted chestnuts, escarole, pine nuts and apples, packed with vitamins (B1, B2, C etc…) and minerals, to boost the immune system with plenty of flavour and texture!

Salad with roasted chestnuts, escarole and apples.

Ingredients 

For 4 people

400 g of roasted chestnuts (or boiled, if you prefer) see How to make amazing roasted chestnuts

160 g of escarole or curly-leaved endive, washed and dried

1/2 red onion (optional)

30 g of raisins

40 g pine nuts

2 gala apples, washed and dried

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

the juice of half a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Method.

1. Cut the apples and the escarole leaves. Peel and slice the onion then put it in a cup and fill the cup with water. Leave the onion in the water for 30 minutes and then drain (this operation will make the onion sweeter).

2. Arrange the escarole leaves on the plates, then add the chopped apples with the raisins, the onion and the pine nuts (divide into 4 servings).

3. Peal the roasted chestnuts then  add them to the salad.

4. Season with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a few drops of lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Insalata di caldarroste, scarola e mele.

Ingredienti

Per 4 persone

400 g di caldarroste (oppure castagne bollite),

per fare le caldarroste seguite questo link:  Come preparare ottime caldarroste a casa

160 g di indivia scarola (oppure indivia riccia) , lavata e asciugata

1/2 cipolla rossa (facoltativo)

30 g di uvetta

40 g di pinoli

2 mele gala, lavate e asciugate

3 cucchiai di olio extravergine d’oliva

il succo di mezzo limone

sale e pepe q. b.

Preparazione.

1. Tagliate le mele e le foglie di scarola. Sbucciate e affettate le cipolle.  Mettete le cipolle a mollo in acqua per 30 minuti (per renderle più dolci), poi scolate.

2. Dividendo in quattro porzioni, sistemate prima le foglie di scarola e poi aggiungete i pezzetti di mele, l’uvetta, la cipolla e i pinoli.

3. Sbucciate le caldarroste e aggiungetele all’insalata.

4. Condite con olio extra vergine d’oliva, qualche goccia di succo di limone, sale e pepe.