Today on Sardinian recipes we're talking about ancient mostaccioli (mustazzolus a s'antica), a traditional Oristano dessert glazed with cooked sugar and characterized by an intense lemon and cinnamon aroma.
Originating in the Oristano area, it is widespread in the central-western hinterland of the island.
Time: 4 hours and 20 minutes, plus soaking the raisins
Difficulty: high
Ingredients: 1 kg almonds, 80 g hazelnuts, 750 g sugar, 500 g raisins, water to taste, 6 egg yolks, 1 sachet of cinnamon, 1 1/2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 orange, 1 lemon, 1 cup of coffee; for the icing, 300 g powdered sugar, 1 glass of water.
Preparation
• Grate the citrus peel (4 minutes).
• Soak the almonds in hot water for 5-6 minutes and peel them (30 minutes), peel the hazelnuts, mix everything together, crush them coarsely and put them in the oven at 100°; leave them until they are toasted (1 hour).
• Let them cool a little and grind them very finely and carefully (30 minutes).
• Soak the raisins in lukewarm water for 3 hours, then dry them well and flour them lightly (4 minutes).
• Mix the egg yolks with the sugar, add the cinnamon, cocoa, orange and lemon zest, chopped almonds and hazelnuts, floured raisins (10 minutes).
• Mix everything together with the coffee; once the desired consistency is reached (20 minutes), roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of 5 millimetres; if the dough is too sticky, use very little flour.
• Using a diamond-shaped cutter, cut out the mustazzolus and arrange them on a buttered and floured baking tray, leaving the necessary space between each one (15 minutes).
• Cook them in the oven at moderate heat, for 40-45 minutes at 160° C.
• Meanwhile, prepare the icing by simmering the sugar and water over a low heat (10 minutes); brush it over the baked cakes in a thin layer; leave to cool and dry for 30 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.
• The mostaccioli can be revived by heating them for a moment: once lukewarm again, they seem freshly made.
Curiosity
This recipe, very similar to that of papassini, is considered one of the oldest, despite the presence of later modifications and corrections, such as cocoa and coffee.
Recommended wine
White Vernaccia di Oristano