Sült gesztenye (Hungarian roasted chestnuts)
Scored chestnuts roasted until the shells split and the insides turn sweet and mealy
From November until the end of winter, the smell of roasting chestnuts drifts along Budapest's boulevards and around Christmas markets in every Hungarian town, where sellers shake them over charcoal and pour them hot into paper cones. Roasting turns the nuts sweet and soft, mealy like a baked potato but with a gentle nutty sweetness and a hint of smoke where the shell has charred. Eat them straight away, peeled with your fingers while they are hot, with a cup of hot tea, hot spiced apple juice or a bag of roasted pumpkin from the next stall. They are naturally egg-free, a single ingredient with nothing to bind: heat turns the chestnut's starch to sugar and softens it. A short soak in water before roasting adds steam inside the shell, so the nuts cook evenly and peel more easily. Chef's tip: cut a deep cross through the shell on the rounded side of every chestnut; the common mistake is skipping or under-cutting it, and then the steam bursts the chestnuts open in the oven.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb fresh sweet chestnutsglossy and heavy, no holes
- 4 ¼ cups waterfor soaking
- 1 pinch flaky salt (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan).
Step 2: Lay each of 1 ⅛ lb fresh sweet chestnuts flat side down on a board and cut a deep cross through the shell on the rounded side with a short sharp knife, just into the nut.
Step 3: Soak the scored chestnuts in 4 ¼ cups water for 5–10 minutes, then drain without drying them.
8 minStep 4: Spread in a single layer in a roasting tin or a perforated chestnut pan and roast for 18–22 minutes, shaking the tin halfway, until the crosses have opened wide, the shells are charred at the edges and the nut inside is golden and soft when pressed.
20 minStep 5: Tip into a clean tea towel, wrap and leave for 5 minutes; the steam loosens the inner skin.
5 minStep 6: Peel while warm, removing both the shell and the papery skin, sprinkle with 1 pinch flaky salt if you like and eat hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 49 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sült gesztenye (Hungarian roasted chestnuts) take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
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Perfect for:Winter warmers