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| Alternative names | Mustaccioli,mostaccioli |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | |
| Main ingredients | Flour,almonds,chocolate,sugar,cloves,coffee,olive oil |
Mustacciuoli, also known asmustaccioli ormostaccioli, is apastry originating in theNaples region ofItaly, usually served atChristmas time.
Mustaccioli takes the form of aparallelogram, and consist of a soft, spiced, cake-like interior, covered inchocolate. In recent years, there are many variations ofmostaccioli sold in Naples, where the chocolate glaze may be replaced by awhite chocolate frosting or icingsugar andcandied fruit.[1][2]Mustaccioli are often sold alongside other Neapolitan sweets includingroccocò,raffiuoli,susamielli, andstruffoli at Christmas time.
Neapolitanmostaccioli were mentioned byBartolomeo Scappi, personal cook ofPope Pius V as part of hispranzo alli XVIII di ottobre (October 18 lunch).[3]
The termmustacciuoli derives from theLatinmustaceus and is prey to variousfolk etymologies. Some say it derives from the Latinmustum, linked to the use ofmust in some ancient recipes as a sweetener.,[4] others frommustax, which is a type oflaurel. Originally, themustaceum was a wedding cake, wrapped in bay leaves that gave aroma during cooking. Hence the proverbloreolam in mustace quaerere, that is: to look uselessly in thefocaccia for burntbay leaves. Another origin could derive from theancient Greekμάσταξ (mástax) which means morsels, similar toμαστάζω (mastázō) which means to chew or eat.
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