Tuscan Chestnut Cake (Tuscany)

Desserts

Ingredients

White seedless raisins - 3 tbsps

Chestnut flour - 1/2 pound

Olive oil - 2 1/2 tbsps

Salt - pinch

Sugar - 4 tsps

Cold water - 2-2 1/2 cups

Oil for cake pan

Pine nuts - 3 tbsps

Rosemary - 1 sprig

Walnut halves, chopped (optional) - 6-8

Soak the white raisins in warm water. Drain and pat dry.

In a bowl, mix the chestnut flour, oil, salt and sugar with enough cold water to make a fairly thin, smooth batter. Beat well and pour into a wide, shallow cake pan about 9 inches in diameter, brushed with oil. The cake should not be more than 2 inches deep. Sprinkle with pine nuts, white raisins, rosemary and walnuts, if used. Bake in a moderately hot oven (400F) for about 1 hour or until the top of the cake is crisp and covered with tiny cracks.