Ingredients
1 pound of chestnut



Cooking Instructions

Step 1 - Select your chestnuts. Chestnuts are commonly available in most large grocery stores; pick your own farms are quite rare for chestnuts. Look for nuts that are firm, with some flex in the shell. When cut open, the flesh should be yellow and firm. A bad chestnut may be moldy (see photo at right) or mushy.

Step 2 - Notch each nut You must make a small notch (an "X") or cut in the round side of every chestnut. A serrated knife is a bit easier to use. This is important, because it prevents the nuts from exploding like popcorn, from trapped moisture! Get the oven heating to 400 F (205 C).

Step 3 - Spread the chestnuts on a baking pan Spread the chestnuts on a baking pan, cookie sheet or baking dish with the flat side down. Spray or sprinkle the chestnuts with a few squirts of water.

Step 4 - Put the pan in the oven Put the baking dish in the 400 F oven, Roast for about 8 to 10 minutes on one side, flip them over (or just stir them to flip them) and then 8 to 10 more minutes on the other side. I can't tell you more precisely than 8 to 10 minutes on each side, because each batch of chestnuts varies somewhat based on the variety, how old they are, dryness, etc.

Step 5 - Remove and cool until just warm After a total of about 15 to 20 minutes in the oven, they are ready! Best served very warm, but you will want to want until the cool enough to handle safely!Peeling the chestnuts is pretty easy with your fingers or a fork. When the cool completely, they are more difficult to peel and lose much of their flavor!