Castañas 

or in English chestnuts

Castanas, as I thought, it is traditional Spanish dish or to be more exact, snack used to eat during Christmas period in Spain. It is usually sold on the streets, where it is roasted also. You get then hot in cone shape paper bag and enjoy it just walking down the streets or somewhere in the park. At least it was my first experience trying Castanas. Recently tried them in city called Valencia in the Las Fallas Festival. As I started to look for more information, to my big surprise it came out, that it is Ancient Greek cuisine! So in Greek language it look like this - κάστανο.

The way people roast Castanas on the streets

Some history:
"The Greek word for the European species of the chestnut is shared by many different European cultures, with the Spanish calling them castana, Portuguese castanha and Dutch kastanje. These words, as well as many others from around Europe, came from the Latin word castanea, which was based on the Ancient Greek word kastanon (κάστανον). Indeed, the chestnut tree (castanea sativa) itself was introduced to Europe through Greece.

The Greek origin of the chestnut has not always been accepted, particularly in species such as the Horse Chestnut. This was thought to be of Asian origin until the English gentleman John Hawkins found it growing in, firstly, the Pindus Mountains in Greece, and then in the Epirus region at the turn of the 19th century."


Where to use it?
"Chestnuts are often also candied or grilled, and some cultures ferment the juice to create a sugar-like substance. Also, a type of coffee that is known for its relaxing qualities is made from dried chestnuts. But it is not only the nuts that are used by humans - as the leaves of the chestnut tree are reputedly useful for lung diseases and rheumatism."

How to roast chestnuts at home....? I have found three ways in here (there You can find also video how to do it in a correct way):

In the microwave
Cut the chestnuts in half.
Transfer to a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of water so that they don’t dry out.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes at 800 watts.
When ready, remove from microwave and remove plastic wrap.

In the oven
Preheat oven to 200* C (390* F) Fan.
Make a shallow incision with a small, sharp knife in a crisscross manner. This will help the chestnuts cook quicker and will keep them from exploding.
Transfer to a baking pan and add 2 tablespoons of water so that they don’t dry out.
Roast for 25-30 minutes.

Boiled
Press the sharp blade of a knife on the top of the chestnuts and make an incision. Repeat the same process to create a crisscross incision.
Transfer to a pot and add enough water to completely cover the chestnuts.
Place pot over high heat.
As soon as it comes to a boil, cook for 25-30 minutes.

Try the way You like best and Bon Appetite ;)