Minestra Invernale di Verza e Castagne di Guardia Piemontese

Slit the chestnuts on their flat sides with a short, sharp knife or a hook-bladed chestnut knife and boil them for 3 to 4 minutes in water with 1 tablespoon sea salt. Drain the chestnuts and peel them and rub off their inner skins while they are still warm.

In a very large, heavy soup pot over a medium flame, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and sauté the pancetta and the salt pork, until they have rendered their fat and are well crusted. With a slotted spoon, remove the crisped pancetta and salt pork to a holding plate.

Add the peeled chestnuts to the pot, rolling them about for a minute or two before adding the crushed cloves of garlic and stirring the mixture together. Add the red wine and 8 cups of water and return to a simmer. Cover the pot with a skewed lid and continue to simmer for 1 hour.