Have you ever tasted Mustaccioli?

Like any traditional recipe, there are different versions, depending on the Italian region in which they are made from Puglia to Calabria; and several variations such as hard mostaccioli or with flavors of your choice. This is a recipe of the classic Neapolitan Mostaccioli: soft, fragrant, and spicy.

Quantity for about 25 pieces

500 gr =2 cups of 00 flour/all purpose/plain- 150 g = ~ 1 ¹/2 ) US cups of almond flour or powdered almonds-

280 gr =1 3/8 cup of granulated sugar- 50 gr =1/2 cup of bitter cocoa powder- 100 gr= ¼ cup + 3 tbsp water

orange juice- grated peel of 1 large orange-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons of ready-made pisto for desserts (or mix together 12 g of cinnamon, 2 g of nutmeg, 2 g of pepper, 2 g of cloves, 2 g of coriander, 2 g of star anise; from this mixture obtain 2 teaspoons)

– 1 teaspoon of baking ammonia or baking powder- 1 generous pinch of salt

– 400 gr =14 oz.of 70% dark chocolate

Mix together flour, almonds, sugar, sifted cocoa, ammonia or yeast, pisto, spices, salt, finely grated orange peel

Add the water and finally the orange juice a little at a time, starting to mix with a spoon. The dough should not be soft, so consider yourself whether to add all the juice. You will have to compact a ball with your hands.

Seal in plastic wrap and let sit 30 – 40 minutes

. Take the dough again, divide it in half. Spread a rectangle on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of about 8 mm.

Remove the edges with the knife, divide into strips about 6 cm wide and slice the rhombuses with the sides slightly oblique, leaving a length of about 7 cm: Arrange in a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Collect the remaining dough and add it to the other piece.

Bake in a static oven, in the central part of the oven for about 12 – maximum 14 minutes at 180 ° they must be not golden, but still soft to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a double boiler and with two knives, turn the melted chocolate, stirring so as to cut the chocolate- this will help you to have a semi temperate glaze.