Minestra di Riso e Castagne

Name: Minestra di Riso e Castagne
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Piemontese
Ingredients: 400 g fresh chestnuts; 800 ml Whole milk; 400 ml Water; 200 g originario rice; 1 piece fresh bay leaf; 25 g Unsalted butter; 5 g Fine sea salt; 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

A comforting Piedmontese milk soup featuring tender local chestnuts and creamy rice, gently simmered for a rich autumn supper.

🇮🇹Italy· Piedmont

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 65 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 430 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

400 g fresh chestnuts — in the shell, or 250g vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts
800 ml Whole milk — fresh full-cream milk
400 ml Water — filtered
200 g originario rice — or Sant'Andrea or Maratelli soup rice
1 piece fresh bay leaf — bruised
25 g Unsalted butter — chilled and diced
5 g Fine sea salt — adjust to taste
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper — optional

Equipment

•Heavy-based saucepan
•Paring knife
•Slotted spoon
•Ladle
•Wooden spoon

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 430 kcal
fat: 13 g
carbs: 68 g
fibre: 5 g
protein: 11 g
calories: 430 kcal

Instructions

1
Cut a horizontal slit across the curved side of each raw chestnut shell using a paring knife.
2
Boil the scored chestnuts in boiling water for eight minutes to soften the skins.
3
Drain and peel away both outer shells and inner papery skins while still warm.
4
Combine peeled chestnuts, milk, water, bay leaf, and fine sea salt in a heavy-based saucepan.
5
Bring liquid slowly to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
6
Simmer chestnuts gently for twenty minutes until tender but still holding their shape.
7
Stir in the rice and cook for fifteen minutes, stirring often so milk does not catch.
8
Remove saucepan from heat once rice is tender and the broth has thickened pleasantly.
9
Stir in the cold diced butter until fully melted and integrated.
10
Discard the bay leaf and ladle hot soup into warmed shallow bowls with freshly ground black pepper.

Chef's tips

Peel fresh chestnuts while they are still hot, as the bitter inner pellicle adheres tightly once cooled. Use a round-grain Italian soup rice like Originario or Sant'Andrea, which releases starch gently into the milk broth. Keep the heat strictly on a low simmer to avoid scorching the milk on the base of the pan.

Ingredient substitutions

Originario rice → Sant'Andrea, Maratelli, or Carnaroli rice
fresh chestnuts → dried white chestnuts (castagne bianche), soaked overnight in cold water

Storage

Keep leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring in a splash of warm milk to loosen the thickened rice.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Boiling the milk at high heat, which causes it to curdle and catch at the bottom of the pan.
•Letting chestnuts cool before peeling, making the bitter inner skin impossible to remove neatly.
•Using long-grain aromatic rice instead of traditional starchy Piedmontese round soup rice.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately in warm earthenware bowls alongside crusty mountain rye bread.Offer freshly grated aged Grana Padano or Castelmagno at the table for a savoury contrast.