Chestnut Pasta Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and fry the onion for 5 mins. Once starting to soften, add the sausagemeat and chestnuts, and fry for another 10-12 mins, breaking the meat up with a wooden spatula or spoon as you fry it. Keep the heat quite high and stir often.
• When the meat and chestnuts are golden brown, add the garlic, rosemary and fennel seeds, and cook for 2 mins more. Splash in the wine, let most of it boil away, then tip in the passata. Cover and simmer the sauce for 10 mins while you boil the pasta in plenty of salted water, following pack instructions.
• Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta well. Toss the pasta, 3 tbsp of the water, the ragu and most of the parsley together, then season to taste. Share between bowls, add a grinding of black pepper, the remaining parsley, then a handful of Parmesan shavings.

Steps:

• Using a paring knife, make a horizontal cut on the flat side of each chestnut. Place them in boiling water to cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Remove them from the water a few at a time and peel while still hot.
• Soak the mushrooms in about 1 1/2 cups of very hot water. For the pasta, bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt it.
• Place half the butter in a skillet, turn the heat to medium-high, and a minute later, add the shallots. Sprinkle lightly with salt, and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Chop the chestnuts into 1/2- to 1/4-inch chunks, then measure about a cup. Add them to the skillet, along with a little more salt.
• Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chestnuts deepen in color, about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the water; strain and reserve the liquid. Chop the mushrooms, and add them to the skillet; cook, stirring, for a minute or two, then add the strained liquid. Turn the heat to low, and season to taste with salt and lots of black pepper.
• Cook the pasta until tender but not mushy. If the chestnut sauce is too thick, add a little of the pasta water to it when the pasta is nearly done. Stir in the remaining butter.Drain the pasta, and dress with the sauce. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Cook pancetta in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and 1 tablespoon sage and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in chestnuts and remove from heat.
• Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water according to package directions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander and add to pancetta mixture in skillet. Add 1 cup reserved cooking water along with cheese and butter and cook, tossing constantly, over high heat until pasta is well coated (add more reserved water if necessary), about 1 minute. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve sprinkled with parsley and remaining tablespoon sage.

Steps:

• Food-processor mixing recommended, following the directions on page 160.
• Suggested Shapes and Sauces
• Be sure to try chestnut pappardelle with Butter, Dried Chestnut, and Rosemary Sauce (page 121). Rosemary and chestnuts have an established affinity; fresh rosemary often adorns castagnaccio, the famed rustic chestnut bread of Tuscany.

Steps:

• Bring large pot of water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil; add 2 tablespoons oil. In large skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil and butter over low heat. Add shallots and chestnuts; saute until shallots are tender and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add wine, stock, and cream; raise heat to high, and cook until liquid is reduced by one-third, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, drop pasta into boiling water; stir. Cook until al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain.
• Lower heat of cream mixture to medium low; stir in hazelnuts, thyme, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Season with salt and pepper; cook for 2 minutes. Add pasta, toss, and remove from heat. Divide pasta among four plates; drizzle sauce on top. Garnish with pine nuts and the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

Steps:

• Put the chestnuts in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Throw in the herbs, Parmesan and garlic, then pulse again until chopped (not too finely). Pour in the rapeseed oil, mix together and season to taste.
• Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water, according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the mushrooms with some seasoning for 6-8 mins until tender and starting to brown. When the pasta is cooked, drain it, return to the pan, then stir through the pesto and the mushrooms. Serve with some extra Parmesan on top, if you like.