This is an unusual savoury pie but it tastes fantastic if you like the two main ingredients: chestnuts and savoy cabbage. A soup with chestnuts and savoy cabbage has been always made in the North of Italy (Sondrio - Lombardy) by people who didn't buy meat.
Chestnuts are a poor food but rich in proteins and energy. They substitute meat very well. So we created this savoury pie according to the most authentic traditions of our Italian cuisine.
Here it is its recipe!

Remove the outer leaves of the savoy cabbage if necessary. Half it and plunge the two halves in cold water. Change the water twice or three times. Then steam the two halves until tender. We prefer to steam the savoy cabbage and not to boil so its leaves don't absorb too much water.
Meanwhile purée the chestnuts or crash them with a fork.
Let the savoy cabbage cool and then cut it into thin strips.
Saute the onion in the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan, stirring. Add the savoy cabbage, chestnuts, tomato paste and season to taste with salt. Let all the ingredients flavour on medium heat until the cooking juice is well retired.
Let the mixture cool.
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Beat the two eggs with a pinch of salt and add to the mixture of chestnuts and savoy cabbage. Stir very well. Spoon the mixture in a silicone pan (diameter - 22 cm/ 10in). Level the surface and sprinkle with dry breadcrumbs.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the surface is golden.
Let it cool for few minutes and turn it upside down in a serving plate. Cut it and serve immediately.

Note

• - Serve it with the accompaniment of salami slices as a starter of your meal. You can also serve it as one-plate meal with the accompaniment of seasonal green salad. In this last case the doses serve less people.

What's the right wine for " Chestnuts and savoy cabbage pie " ?

Our suggestion is: a young red wine such as Bonarda (from Piedmont-Italy), Nero d'Avola (from Sicily-Italy) or Chianti (from Tuscany).