Mustacciuoli

Mustacciuoli (also known as mustaccioli or mostaccioli) is a traditional pastry from Naples, usually served at Christmas time.

Mustacciuoli
Alternative namesMustaccioli, Mostaccioli
Place of originItaly
Region or stateNaples

Apulia Molise

Abruzzo
Main ingredientsFlour, almonds, chocolate, sugar, cloves, coffee, olive oil

Mustaccioli takes the form of a parallelogram, and consist of a soft, spiced, cake-like interior, covered in chocolate. In recent years, they are many variations of mostaccioli sold in Naples, where the chocolate glaze may be replaced by a white chocolate frosting or icing sugar and candied fruit. Mustacciolis are often sold alongside other Neapolitan sweets including Roccocò, raffiuoli, susamielli, and struffoli at Christmastime.

History

Neapolitan mostacciolis were mentioned by Bartolomeo Scappi, personal cook of Pope Pius V as part of his pranzo alli XVIII di ottobre (October 18 lunch).[1]

Etymology

The term mustacciuoli derives from the Latin mustaceus and is prey to various paretimologies. Some say it derives from the Latin mustum, linked to the use of must in some ancient recipes as a sweetener.,[2] others from mustax, which is a type of laurel. Originally the mustaceum was a wedding cake, wrapped in bay leaves that gave aroma during cooking. Hence the proverb loreolam in mustace quaerere, that is: to look uselessly in the focaccia for burnt bay leaves. Another origin could derive from the ancient Greek μάσταξ (mástax) which means morsels, similar to μαστάζω (mastázō) which means to chew or eat.

References
  1. "Vita e Opera di Bartolomeo Scappi". www.unical.it.
  2. "Naples: the Gulf knows of mustaccioli". La Stampa. Retrieved 6 July 2017.


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