CHESTNUT BREAD RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cover raisins with warm water (or wine) in a bowl and let soak.
• Meanwhile, sift chestnut flour with a flour sifter or push it through a fine sieve into a medium bowl--this can be harder than it sounds, because the flour typically has many hard lumps. Add 1 cup water and whisk until combined. Stir in 1 tablespoon oil. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, the consistency of the batter should be similar to pancake batter; if it's too thick, add another tablespoon or two of water to thin it a little bit. Drain the raisins and stir into the batter along with walnuts
• Place the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in an 8-inch square baking pan and set in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes to heat the oil. Tilt the pan so the oil coats the bottom and sides. Pour in the batter and smooth to the edges (some of the oil will be pooling around the edges of the pan). Sprinkle with pine nuts and rosemary.
• Bake until dry on top and the edges are browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen the sides with a knife before turning the bread out of the pan or lifting it out with a large spatula. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• *TIP: Roasted whole chestnuts that are shelled and ready to eat are available online and at grocers and specialty food stores. Prepare a bread pan by applying non-stick spray to all sides and coating it with flour. Shake off excess flour. Set aside. In a food processor, add chestnuts and chop until finely ground. Set aside. In a coffee mug, add 3/4 cup of very warm water, dry yeast, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Briskly stir. Let the yeast rise to near the top of the mug. In the meantime, add to a stand mixer bowl 2 cups of flour, ground chestnuts, 1/4 cup sugar (optional) and salt. Slowly mix together. Add risen yeast mixture and olive oil to the flour mixture. Drizzle 1/4 cup warm water along the inside of the coffee mug to remove any leftover yeast and pour this into the mixing bowl. Mix together to form a dough ball. If the dough is too hard (dry), add a tablespoon at a time of warm water to it while mixing. If too soft (sticky) or has too much liquid in it, add a tablespoon of flour at a time while mixing. The dough is ready when the dough pulls away from the sides and bottom of the bowl and forms a dough ball. Spread some flour on a clean, flat surface. Pat hand in flour and remove the dough ball and any remnants from the mixing bowl onto the prepared work area. Knead the dough for a few minutes. Shape it to fit in the prepared bread pan. Flour all sides of the dough, lightly rubbing off excess. This helps prevent the bread from sticking to the pan when done and creates a nice crust. Place the shaped dough into the prepared bread pan. Cover dough with a clean hand towel and let rise. The dough is ready to bake when stretch marks form over its surface. NOTE: Depending on the roomâ??s temperature, this may take up to an hour or more. The trick is to allow the dough to rise. Risen dough makes for a better textured bread. Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C). With a sharp knife, cut through just the dough's surface every 1-2 inches. Bake the bread for 20-30 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove from the pan. If the bottom hasnâ??t browned, turn the bread upside down in the oven and let bake for a few more minutes. When done, remove bread from the oven and wrap it inside the same hand towel previously used during the dough's rising period. TIP: To learn more about the health benefits of chestnuts, visit http://bit.ly/eRxSOK