Autumn is a time of Chestnuts and Funghi in the Garfagnana valley. My recent trip to lock up the houses for the winter gave me a chance to pick the chestnuts and walnuts from the trees by the Mill. I’ve manage to bring a few home with me – so I’m working on a new pasta and walnut recipe and crostini with goats cheese, pear, walnuts and honey.
The chestnuts were the staple food of the area in times gone by and would be ground to make a dark chestnut flour used in pasta, bread and cakes. It has a darker colour and a sweet, almost chocolatey flavour. Two of the four mill stones of the mill were used for chestnuts, the other two for maize and wheat grain. The Mill stopped production in the 1960’s but we restored the mill equipment with help and advice from the last Miller then in his 90’s, Righetto. Maybe, one day, we’ll get the water running again!
Castiglione had a great Autumn funghi festival on too – a great display of edible and definitely non edible funghi. A great celebration of local produce – with a 6 course funghi lunch in the medieval streets cooked by local people. Delicious!
