Dolci di San Martino Molisani — Fried Pastry with Wine Must

Ingredients

• For the mostaccioli
• 300 g sapa (cooked grape must / saba / vino cotto), or concentrated grape juice reduced to a thick syrup
• 300 g tipo 00 flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp orange zest, finely grated
• 1 pinch ammonium bicarbonate, or baking powder
• For the mostaccioli (optional)
• 100 g dark chocolate, warmed, for coating; omit in plain version
• For the calzoni dolci pastry
• 300 g tipo 00 flour
• 60 g lard
• 80 ml dry white wine
• 30 g sugar
• 1 pinch fine salt
• For the calzoni dolci filling
• 150 g grape jam (mostarda d'uva)
• 100 g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• For frying
• 500 g lard, for deep-frying at 175 °C

Method

1. 1
   Combine the sapa, flour, ground cinnamon, cloves, coriander, black pepper, orange zest, and ammonium bicarbonate in a bowl. Work to a firm, uniform dough. The dough should not be sticky; if it is slack, add flour in small increments. The dough is ready when it holds its shape cleanly under the palm.
2. 2
   Roll the mostaccioli dough to exactly 1 cm thickness — no thinner. Cut into diamond shapes with a knife or pastry wheel. This is where the dish lives or dies: a mostacciolo rolled below 1 cm will bake too crunchy, lose the dense, spiced interior, and forfeit the characteristic chew that distinguishes it from a mere biscuit. The cut edges should be clean and the diamonds uniform.
3. 3
   Arrange the diamonds on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 170 °C for 20–25 minutes. The mostaccioli are done when they are firm to a light press but have not taken on colour — they will harden further as they cool. Do not bake to golden; the surface should remain pale and matt.
4. 4
   If coating: once the mostaccioli are fully cool, brush or dip each one in warmed dark chocolate. Set on a rack. The chocolate should form an even, thin shell that is dull rather than streaky when set — a sign the chocolate has not been overheated.
5. 5
   For the calzoni dolci: rub the lard into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the sugar, salt, and white wine. Bring together to a smooth, pliable dough. The pastry is ready when it no longer sticks to the work surface and stretches without tearing.
6. 6
   Roll the calzoni pastry thin. Cut into rounds of approximately 10 cm diameter. Place a spoonful of the grape jam, chopped walnuts, and cinnamon mixture at the centre of each round, leaving a clear border. Fold each round into a half-moon, pressing the edges firmly to seal. The sealed edge must show no gaps — any opening will allow the filling to escape into the frying fat.
7. 7
   Heat the lard for frying to 175 °C. Fry the calzoni dolci in batches, turning once, until the pastry is golden and light — not dark brown. A dark brown crust indicates overcooking; the target is an even, pale gold. Lift onto paper and allow the excess fat to drain before serving.