Chestnut drying
One of the most common methods for preserving chestnuts is by drying them in specially constructed buildings called drying-houses.
The rural drying-houses (metati) were once very common in the mountains and are small buildings, sometimes partially underground, made up of a single room with a grille floor at a certain height on which the chestnuts are laid out to dry.
Drying takes place over a period of 10-30 days by heating the chestnuts from below with warm air mixed with smoke.
In the final stage, the dried chestnuts are then shelled and peeled manually or mechanically. |
