The word “mostarda” comes from the Latin “mustum ardens”, referring to grape must made “fiery” and spicy by the addition of mustard seed flour.
In France, it later evolved into “moût ardent” (burning must), eventually becoming the mostarda we know today.

Sicilian mostarda is a dessert, even though it contains no sugar. It is eaten at the end of a meal and has humble, popular origins, typical of farming families who used leftover grape clusters or fallen grapes, ensuring that nothing was wasted. It is therefore a simple and genuine dish, rooted in peasant cuisine, with energizing properties, still loved by both adults and children today.

The two stages of preparation

Its preparation involves two steps:

In the first, the cooked grape must is prepared, which can be stored for several months in a cool place.

The second involves preparing the “pudding”, mixing it with other ingredients, namely flour, ash and toasted almonds.

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS:

100 cl cooked grape must
200 g starch
cloves
chopped almonds

Traditional method

Method:

To make grape must mostarda, you first mix the must with the starch while cold, then carefully strain it to avoid lumps.
Then add the cloves and almonds.
Place everything on the stove over low heat and bring to a boil.

Cook for about one hour from the moment it starts boiling.

The resulting “mustata” can be eaten the same day, or, if you want to preserve it longer, you can let it dry in the sun and, once it reaches the right density, store it in glass jars.

Text and photos from the web.