Chestnut pie

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Chestnut pie with beef Chestnut pie with beef.jpg
Chestnut pie with beef

Chestnut pie is a pie prepared with chestnuts as a primary ingredient. It is a part of the French cuisine [1] and Italian cuisine, [2] where it has been documented as dating back to the 15th century. It is also a part of the cuisine of the Southern United States. [3] Shelled whole or chopped chestnuts may be used, which may be boiled or roasted. [4] A chestnut purée may also be used. [3] [5] It may be prepared as a savory or sweet pie. [6]

Contents

History

Chestnut pie has been documented back to the Middle Ages in French cookbooks [7] and to the 15th century in Italy, in the book De honesta voluptate et valetudine ("On honourable pleasure and health") written by the gastronomist Bartolomeo Platina. [8] Platina's recipe, titled torta ex castaneís, called for the use of boiled and ground chestnuts in the pie. [8] The chestnuts were ground using a mortar and pestle, milk was added and then the mixture was strained. [8] After this step, the ingredients for a spelt tart were added. [8] The use of saffron was recommended to add coloration to the dish. [8]

In the 16th century, the pie was prepared and documented by Bartolomeo Scappi in his 1570 book Opera dell'arte del cucinare, which was focused upon Italian Renaissance cuisine. [8] The recipe included the use of dried and fresh chestnuts in the pie. [8] Scappi's recipe recommended using chestnuts that were not entirely ripened, gathered in August. [8]

An 1858 recipe for sweet chestnut pie uses chestnuts glazed with orange flowers, in the dish's preparation, which are placed inside the pie. [9]

A 1908 recipe for a savory chestnut pie uses shelled chestnuts, Spanish onion, haricot stock, salt and pepper. [10]

Savory chestnut pie

Savory chestnut pie may be prepared with various additional ingredients such as mushrooms, garlic [6] onion, celery, [11] leeks and butternut squash, [5] among others. A 1915 recipe uses boiled and shelled chestnuts, canned mushrooms, a white sauce and a biscuit dough in preparation of the dish. [12]

Sweet chestnut pie

Sweet chestnut pie may be prepared as a cream pie. [a] [3] [14] Chocolate may be used as an ingredient in sweet chestnut pie. [4] [15] It may be served topped with whipped cream. [3]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Chestnut Pie Ingredients: 500 grams (1 pound plus) chestnuts, 1% cups sugar, 1 pint milk, Vi cup bitter chocolate, 1 cup (~240 mL) flour, 2 eggs and 3 egg yolks, ... [13]

References

  1. ↑ Larousse, Librairie (2022-08-30). Larousse Gastronomique: The World's Greatest Culinary Encyclopedia, Completely Revised and Updated. Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed. ISBN   978-0-593-57774-5.
  2. ↑ Viaggio in Toscana. Alla scoperta dei prodotti tipici. Ediz. inglese. Progetti educativi. Giunti Editore. 2001. p. 137. ISBN   978-88-09-02453-3.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Bryan, M.C. (2011). Mrs. Rowe's Little Book of Southern Pies. Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony. p. 53. ISBN   978-1-60774-135-0.
  4. 1 2 Costigan, F. (2013). Vegan Chocolate. Perseus Books Group. p. 160. ISBN   978-0-7624-4591-2.
  5. 1 2 Berry, Vava (December 12, 2013). "The new vegetarian: butternut-squash and chestnut pie". The Telegraph. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Phillips, D. (2014). The Gourmet Jewish Cookbook: More than 200 Recipes from Around the World. St. Martin's Press. p. 163. ISBN   978-1-4668-4607-4.
  7. ↑ Larousse, Librairie (2022-08-30). Larousse Gastronomique: The World's Greatest Culinary Encyclopedia, Completely Revised and Updated. Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed. ISBN   978-0-593-57774-5.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Montanari, M.; Brombert, B.A. (2015). Medieval Tastes: Food, Cooking, and the Table. Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspe. Columbia University Press. p. 115. ISBN   978-0-231-53908-1.
  9. ↑ Encyclopaedia, Household (1858). The household encyclopædia; or, Family dictionary of everything connected with housekeeping and domestic medicine, by an association of heads of families and men of science. p. 283. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  10. ↑ Black, G. (1908). A Manual of Vegetarian Cookery. Horace Marshall. p.  36.
  11. ↑ Allinson, T.R. (2010). The Allinson Vegetarian Cookery Book. Bod Third Party Titles. pp. 23–24. ISBN   978-3-86195-179-7.
  12. ↑ Good Health. Good Health Publishing Company. 1915. p. 570.
  13. ↑ Pennsylvania Nut Growers' Association (1972). The Nut Kernel.
  14. ↑ West, P.; Chew, M.; Fearnley-Whittingstall, H. (2015). The River Cottage Australia Cookbook. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 461. ISBN   978-1-4088-5840-0.
  15. ↑ Publishing, Anness; McFadden, C.; France, C. (2000). Chocolate. Anness Publishing. p. 162. ISBN   978-1-84309-068-7.
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