Chestnut Sformato

Ingredients

• 400g peeled chestnuts
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 eggs, separated
• 250g ricotta
• 30g grated parmesan
• 30g butter, melted
• zest of 1 lemon
• ½ cup cream
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Place the chestnuts into a saucepan with the bayleaf and garlic clove and just cover with water.
2. Bring to the boil and simmer until soft. Drain and discard the bay leaf.
3. Place the cooked chestnuts into a food processor and puree.
4. Add the ricotta, egg yolks, parmesan, lemon zest and melted butter. Puree until smooth, and then add the cream and seasoning.
5. Whip the egg whites to soft peak and fold into the chestnut mixture. Place the sformato mixture into oiled timbale moulds and cook in a bainmarie at 170oC for about 40 mins or until the sformato's are set. 
6. When the sformato have cooled a little turn them out of their moulds.

To Serve

1. Place the sformato on to a piece of baking paper, cover with cream and place in an oven at 180oC. Cook until the sformato have coloured and puffed up a little.
2. The sformato can be used as a garnish for grilled meats or as a dish as a on its own, with grilled mushrooms and a parmesan cream sauce.

 This recipe was developed by chef Michael Ryan of Provenance restaurant in Beechworth, North East Victoria.