Calabrian mostaccioli are crispy honey-based biscuits. These are sweet rituals typical of the peasant tradition of Calabria, in particular of Soriano Calabro, and prepared especially to celebrate happy events, such as weddings, baptisms and other festivities: for example for St. Joseph, a recurrence very felt by the Calabrese, or for Christmas.
Their origin is uncertain: some people think that these sweets were spread thanks to the Carthusian monks of the monastery of Serra San Bruno and, later, by the Dominicans of the convent of San Domenico, built in 1510. At first they were prepared with cooked must, which was later replaced by fig honey. The traditional shapes of the Calabrian mostaccioli are the rooster, the fish, the horse, the man, the woman, the heart and the basket, the inverted S, as well as fantastic figures. Afterwards, for the decoration you can leave room for fantasy and embellish them according to your personal taste. Curiosity: once upon a time, the mostaccioli were mostly prepared for weddings; normally, biscuits of normal size were not made, but rather a unique biscuit as long as a table for six people!
Ingredients for 6 people:
· 550 g of flour 00
· 500 g of “millefiori” honey
· 3 medium yolks
· 8 g baking powder for cakes
Preparation
Sift the flour in a bowl and add the baking powder. Then add the egg yolks and some of the honey, softened in a bain-marie. Beat with a fork, to combine all the ingredients together, add the rest of the honey and knead with your hands, adding a little flour if necessary. As soon as all the ingredients are well mixed, pass the dough on a lightly floured pastry board and continue to knead. Then proceed by making a seam and bending the ends towards the centre: you can add a little more flour, if the dough should be too sticky. Once a homogeneous mixture has been obtained, divide it into equal parts of about 100 g each. Give the mostaccioli the shape you prefer, shaping them with your hands and, finally, flatten it so that it is about 2 cm high and 4 cm wide. Place the mostaccioli on a baking sheet covered with baking paper and bake in a static oven already hot at 180° for 35-40 minutes, or in a ventilated oven at 160° for 30 minutes, or until the mostaccioli have a dark colour. As soon as they are ready, brush them hot with honey and decorate them as you like. Let them dry so that the dough absorbs the honey and hardens. Your Calabrian mostaccioli are ready to be served.
Ingredients for 6 people:
· 550 g of flour 00
· 500 g of “millefiori” honey
· 3 medium yolks
· 8 g baking powder for cakes
Preparation
Sift the flour in a bowl and add the baking powder. Then add the egg yolks and some of the honey, softened in a bain-marie. Beat with a fork, to combine all the ingredients together, add the rest of the honey and knead with your hands, adding a little flour if necessary. As soon as all the ingredients are well mixed, pass the dough on a lightly floured pastry board and continue to knead. Then proceed by making a seam and bending the ends towards the centre: you can add a little more flour, if the dough should be too sticky. Once a homogeneous mixture has been obtained, divide it into equal parts of about 100 g each. Give the mostaccioli the shape you prefer, shaping them with your hands and, finally, flatten it so that it is about 2 cm high and 4 cm wide. Place the mostaccioli on a baking sheet covered with baking paper and bake in a static oven already hot at 180° for 35-40 minutes, or in a ventilated oven at 160° for 30 minutes, or until the mostaccioli have a dark colour. As soon as they are ready, brush them hot with honey and decorate them as you like. Let them dry so that the dough absorbs the honey and hardens. Your Calabrian mostaccioli are ready to be served.
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