How to roast chestnuts

chestnuts roasting on an open fire...hhhmmm

chestnut roasting + buy or diy roaster 

harvesting fallen, spikey little green chestnut tufts from our garden in late April requires heavy duty gloves...they is mean and nasty before they emerge like shiny brown jewels.
Once they have been collected leave them until the pods split- its easiest to prise open the green shells with your feet (shoes essential) to extract the chestnuts.
scoring the skin before roasting is essential. Using a sharp knife or scalpel, score the skin with a cross marking (note x split on roasting chestnuts) this prevents exploding chestnut bombs during cooking.
roasting is easy, according to my Italian girlfriend, Caterina. Her father fashioned a chestnut roaster, many years ago (which she still uses) from an old frypan and a drill. I didn't have an old frypan, or a Calabrian father but did have the internet and hey presto, 2 days later there was my CR waiting comfortably at the front door...begging for a roasting.
The firepit and new roaster (pictured) were put to work and the results were fantastic. We tried sweet cinnamon and salty chestnuts, both yummy. Highly recommend roasting over an open fire, so much tastier than oven roasted, just ask Caterina, it was all her idea!

online roasters $30 available from bbqaroma 
diy roasters you will need an frypan + drill set
( nb. the size and amount of holes in the pic for reference )

happy roasting :)