Preparo alcuni giorni prima  il vino di carrube, infornando a 150° le carrube per circa 10 min. Devono gonfiare un po'. Una volta seccati li copro di acqua in una bacinella e li lascio riposare 4 giorni, per far sì che l'acqua prenda il sapore delle carrube. L'acqua deve diventare bordeaux scuro e le carrube si dovranno sbriciolare al tatto.  Al 4° giorno li spezzettiamo, togliendo i semi e li filtro a setaccio. Il liquido filtrato lo portiamo a ebollizione per 10-15 min, aggiungendo zucchero, scorze essiccate, aromi e un pizzico di pepe. Ecco un litro di vino cotto di carrube. E' paragonabile al colore del caffè, molto scuro con sopra una piccola schiuma chiara.

Adesso prepariamo i nostri Mastazzola, mettendo a scaldare in una pentola il vino cotto ottenuto, aggiungendo pian piano la farina, facendo attenzione che non faccia grumi. Nell'impasto va anche messa la buccia grattugiata di 2 arance.


Verso l'impasto ottenuto su una spianatoia e velocemente la stendo. Formo dei cilindri e ricavo dei rombi lunghi circa 6 cm, stando attenta che scotta. Li sistemo man mano in una teglia ricoperta di carta da forno a 180° e li inforno per 30 min circa. L'interno dovrà rimanere morbido.
Infine, li immergiamo nel miele fuso e li cospargiamo di polvere di cannella e graniglia di mandorle e pistacchi tostati, che avrò precedentemente preparato.




English version


I still remember the oozes Mastazzola with unmistakable scent of grandma Angela .. She loved these Christmas cookies. She rarely baked cakes, but these cookies never failed to Christmas dinner and how good they were! It's not a typical recipe of all Sicily, but only in the province of Enna. The word "Mastazzola" probably derives from the most famous "Mostaccioli" cookies must of grape wine. But they have a special feature that distinguishes them: they are made of carob wine! Yes, Mediterranean carobs are large trees very common in central Sicily and they have an important  scent. From these we obtain also a carob flour used for many biscuits, and the essence is very appreciated in Modica's chocolate. But these cookies do not have anyone else..! It's therefore a great pleasure for me to share with you this recipe from the ancient and traditional flavor, Our recipe for "Mastazzola", that we faithfully have tried to recreate.
Ingredients
Carob wine

• 1.5 kg carob
• 2 dried peel of oranges
• 5 tablespoons of sugar
• cinnamon to taste
• 1 pinch of pepper

Mastazzola

• 600g flour
• 1l carob wine
• 2 oranges
• honey
• almonds and pistachios

At first I prepare a few days before the carob wine, baking the carobs at 150 ° for about 10 min. They must inflate a little. Once dried I cover them in a bowl of water and I let them stand 4 days, to ensure that the water takes the flavor of carob. The water must become deep maroon and the carobs have to crumble when we touch them. On the 4th day I chop them, removing the seeds. I bring the filtered liquid to boil for 10-15 minutes, adding sugar, spices and a pinch of pepper. And here it is a bottle of carob wine. It's similar to the color of coffee, very dark above with a small and clear foam.
Now we prepare our Mastazzola, heating in a pot the carob wine obtained, slowly adding the flour, making sure that it makes no lumps. We also put the zest of 2 oranges.
Towards I pour the dough on a pastry board and I quickly stretch the dough out. I form cylinders that I cut in rhombus of about 6 cm long, being careful why the dough burns. I put them in a parchment paper and bake them for about 30 minutes. The interior should remain soft.
Finally, I dunk them in melted honey and sprinkle them with cinnamon and grounded almonds and pistachios, which I have previously prepared.