Orthi Threpsi - Dimitrios Tzirarkas - Dietitian - Nutritionist

Mustalevria
Dimitrios Tzirarkas - Dietitian - Nutritionist - Egaleo Attiki

Mustalevria is a traditional sweet in Greek cuisine, which is made from must, the juice of grapes during the harvest season, and flour. Its name comes from ancient times, where it was known as "Inuta." This name continued to be used during the Byzantine era, as well as other names such as "Mustopita" and "Pastellos." In Samos, the sweet is referred to as "Kourkouta," in Crete as "Kefteria" or "Kiofteria," and in Cyprus as "Palouzes."

The preparation of mustalevria includes the must from the grapes of the vintage and flour. The quality of the grape determines the flavor and color of the mustalewria, with black aromatic grapes imparting more interesting flavor and white producing a light sweetness. Sometimes the must is aged before it is used to make mustauleria, creating a darker dessert with a stronger flavor and caramel notes. This process allows the preparation of mustaleuria when desired.

In Cyprus, "Palouzes," a type of mustalevria, is made with must and flour, and flavored with mullein or mastic. In contrast, Greek mustalevria is flavored with cinnamon and sprinkled with almonds or walnuts. In Crete, "Kefteria" or "Kiofteria" is a mustaleuria that is left to dry in the sun and is a popular sweet throughout the winter. Also, there are "suzuki," which consist of walnuts that are threaded, dipped in mustalewria, hung to dry, and dipped again, until they form a thick sausage-like casing.

For the preparation of mustalevria, the must is heated over low heat. During foaming, the wort is "chunked," that is, cleaned of foreign bodies using the ash method, adding wood ash to the wort during boiling. The foam is carefully removed, and then the must is allowed to settle. Then we separate it from the solid parts after straining through a fine cloth.

As the wort stirs and boils for about 30 to 45 minutes, we add aromatics such as cinnamon, mastic, or horseradish. Some also add orange juice for flavor.

To check if the mustaleuria is done, as we do with the jam, we stop the flow of the dessert on the plate and create a groove with the back of the spoon, which must not be closed.

Finally, transfer the mustalevria to shallow bowls or plates and sprinkle it with whatever ingredients you prefer, such as walnuts or almonds, roasted sesame or cinnamon. Cinnamon goes well with all ingredients, but should be used sparingly so it doesn't overpower the flavor. Almonds or walnut pieces can also be added to the mustalewria.

CLASSIC RECIPE

Ingredients (for 6 bowls)
• 6 tea cups of fresh must (about 700 grams)
• 1 tablespoon of wood ash, tied in a thin straw
• ½ tea cup fine semolina
• ½ cup of flour
• 2 tablespoons of thyme honey
• Cinnamon for sprinkling
• Coarsely chopped walnuts or almonds
• Roasted sesame seeds (optional)

In a pot, put the wort and the ashes, and boil it for 10 minutes, eliminating the resulting foam. Then let it rest for 8 - 12 hours, and then filter it through a fine sieve. Combine a third of the must with the semolina and sugar, while placing the rest of the must in a pot. As soon as it starts to boil, add the semolina mixture slowly, stirring constantly with a stirrer, until our mixture thickens (be careful that it does not become crumbly). If desired, we can at this point add nuts to the mixture. Then we make sure to divide the mustaleuria into small individual bowls or plates and sprinkle it with cinnamon, walnuts or almonds and sesame seeds.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF MUSTALEVRIA

Its nutritional value is reduced to 319 Kcal per 100 grams, so as part of a balanced diet, we can eat a small bowl (140 to 150 grams). Mustaveria is in fact an ideal choice as its fat content is zero.
In particular, the must is rich in vitamins of the B complex, vitamin C, vitamin A, while it also contains calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron. Anthocyanins together with polyphenols (contained in grapes), have a high antioxidant effect and protect and shield us against free radicals. Cinnamon regulates the blood glucose levels, while if we add sesame and almonds or even walnuts to the mustalewria, we benefit the most. Sesame contains calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, vitamin E. Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E and B vitamins.
In summary, mustalevria is an ideal tasty and healthy delicacy that should be an integral part of the diet of young and old.

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