Boiled Dried Chestnuts in Pressure Cooker, delicious, very easy to prepare, and especially ideal for consumption throughout the year. There are many recipes in which we can use them, both sweet and savory, but as we know, their season is very short. This way, you can prepare and consume them whenever you wish. Moreover, once cooked, we can also freeze them to have them ready at any time when we crave them. The soaking time I suggest is 18 hours, making the cooking faster, but if you have less time (not less than 12 hours), the cooking time will rise to 20 minutes.
If you are apprehensive about this cooking method, I recommend reading The Pressure Cooker and Its Use.
Those who do not own one can easily cook them in a traditional saucepan. Once the chestnuts begin to boil, lower the flame and let them cook for about 50/60 minutes.
If you like chestnuts, don’t miss the following recipes:
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 18 Hours
- Cooking methods: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 8.8 oz dried chestnuts
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 leaf bay leaf
Tools
- 1 Pressure Cooker
- 1 Bowl
Preparation
Pour the dried chestnuts into a large bowl, cover them with water, and let them soak for 12 to 18 hours. Occasionally check the water level because much of it will be absorbed. The chestnuts should never be left without water, so add more as needed. After this time, the chestnuts will have doubled in volume and softened well. Drain them and place them inside the pressure cooker.
Add water to cover them, salt, and bay leaf for aroma and preservation. Close with the airtight lid, lower the valve lever, and place on high heat. As soon as you hear a strong hiss, lower to the minimum and cook for 10 minutes. Once cooked, turn off the heat and gently and slowly lift the lever to release all the steam contained in the pot. If you need them for a puree, boil them 5 minutes longer to make them crumble very easily.
Only at this point can you lift the lid without any fear. Drain the chestnuts and let them cool at room temperature.
Now our Boiled Dried Chestnuts in Pressure Cooker are ready to be used in both sweet and savory preparations.
Tips
Chestnuts boiled in this way can be stored in the refrigerator for two days but in airtight containers.
I recommend using only glass or ceramic and never plastic, as it releases toxic substances.
If you want to keep a supply on hand, we can also freeze them by first placing them on a tray, not piled up but spaced apart to prevent them from sticking. Once frozen, detach them and place them in a container. This way, you can easily take only the ones you need at the moment.
I always advise defrosting in the refrigerator and never at room temperature to avoid possible food poisoning, both trivial and serious.
