Mustazzola (Durum wheat and Honey biscuits from Modica)

This recipe is another milestone of my childhood and origins. The recipe is original from Modica, a beautiful town in the south-east of Sicily.

My grandma used to bake them every year and they were amongst my favorite.

A simple recipes made of “poor” ingredients which were available at any farmers’ home in Sicily.
Durum wheat flour, honey, almonds and orange zest. This biscuits were prepared during Christmas time and served to guests during their visits.

Farmers used to eat them at work too, as they are quite nourishing and filling.

Their consistence is semi-hard and chewy. At home we “chew” them while we chat in front of a coffee or glass of wine. I enjoy them while I read a book or watch a movie.

  • DifficultyVery easy
  • CostCheap
  • Preparation time15 Minutes
  • Cooking time20 Minutes
  • Servingmakes around 20 mustazzola
  • Cooking methodOven
  • CuisineItalian

Ingredients

300 g durum wheat flour (semola rimacinata di grano duro)
300 g honey (carobs or orange blossom)
20 g almonds
1 orange

Steps

– heat the honey in a saucepan together with the grated orange zest, and pour it into a planetary mixer with a dough hook;
– sift the flour onto it and start mixing until the dough is compact (pour some fresh orange juice as needed);
– chop the almonds (which should be roasted in the oven beforehand) and add them to the dough;
– transfer the obtained dough onto a floured working surface, form cylinders and shape it into rhombus;
– bake in static oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden;
– remove the biscuits from the oven and allow them to cool down;
– store them into a plastic bag or metal can: with time the honey will make the biscuit more moist and soft

/ 5
Thanks for voting!

Do you want to help me improve the recipe by answering some questions? Thank you!

* Mandatory question

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *