Mustazzolus (or Mostaccioli)

Mostaccioli. Foto di Rita Murgia, Laore Sardegna

*Mustazzolus* (or *mostaccioli*) are soft, diamond-shaped cookies requiring a very long fermentation period; they are flavored with cinnamon, citrus zest, and—in some versions—cloves. Oristano is the primary center of production, where the pastry is inextricably linked to the *Sartiglia*—a Carnival equestrian joust dating back to at least 1547—and is traditionally paired with the local Vernaccia wine.

The name derives from the Latin *mustaceum*—a term documented as early as the Roman era by Cato in *De Agricultura* to describe a sweet flatbread made with cooked grape must and baked on bay leaves. This family of pastries spread throughout the Italian peninsula, giving rise to distinct regional variations that share the name but differ significantly in their recipes. The Sardinian version is distinguished by the absence of grape must—replaced over the centuries by sugar and brewer's yeast—and by the prominence of cinnamon as the dominant spice.

The dough consists of soft wheat flour, sugar, water, brewer's yeast, cinnamon, and lemon zest. The most notable technical feature is the fermentation time: in the Oristano artisanal tradition, the process lasts between fifteen and thirty days. During this period, the dough develops an internal structure that gives the cookie its unique texture—featuring a thin, almost crystalline outer crust and a soft interior. Shaping is done using a wooden mold, traditionally passed down through families, which imprints the pastry with its characteristic diamond profile.

Production was traditionally a female-led, family-based activity tied to the *Sartiglia* calendar: housewives would begin preparing the dough weeks before Carnival, carefully timing the fermentation so that the *mustazzolus* would be ready for the days of the joust. They are recognized as a Traditional Agri-food Product.

Bibliography

M. L. Wagner, La vita rustica della Sardegna riflessa nella lingua. Nuoro, Ilisso, Nuoro 1996.
Pani. Tradizioni e prospettive della panificazione in Sardegna. Nuoro, Ilisso, 2005.
Dolci in Sardegna. Storia e tradizione. Nuoro, Ilisso, 2011.
G. Marongiu, Mandigos, gustos e licanzas. Selezione di ricette della tradizione orale della Sardegna. Vol. 1, Cagliari, Agenzia LAORE, 2020.
S. Paulis, Dolci in Sardegna. Nuoro, Ilisso, 2024.

Update

11/9/2026 - 15:04