This is harvest season cooking — the kind of recipe that only exists because, for a few weeks each autumn, freshly pressed grape must is available. In Sicily it has many names: mostarda di uva, farinata d’uva, mosto cotto. Four litres of fresh red wine must, reduced by half over about an hour and fifteen minutes until concentrated and deeply flavored, then thickened with cornstarch and poured onto plates to set. Topped with toasted walnuts. Refrigerated until firm. Eaten in spoonfuls.
It’s one of those desserts that’s impossible to find outside of a Sicilian home kitchen in harvest season. If you have access to freshly pressed grape must — or wine grapes to pass through a food mill — this is worth making once just to know what it tastes like.
Active time: ~30 minutes · Reduction: ~1 hour 15 minutes · Chill: 4+ hours · Serves 12
What You Need
- 4 litres (about 16 cups) freshly pressed red wine grape must — strained
- 200g (1 1/2 cups) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 100g (about 1 cup) walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped — or almonds, hazelnuts, or pistachios
On sourcing the must: If you don’t have access to freshly pressed must, pass approximately 2.5 kg of wine grapes through a food mill to extract the juice. Keep the must refrigerated until ready to use.
How to Make It
Step 1: Strain the Must
Pour the freshly pressed must through a fine mesh sieve to remove grape skins, seeds, and particles. Strain at least twice — the source strains four times for a clean result. Alternatively, boil the must first and strain at the end; both approaches work.
Step 2: Reduce by Half
Transfer the strained must to a large heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling until the must has reduced by half — about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The must will darken considerably and the flavor will intensify.
Transfer to a bowl. Cool slightly, then refrigerate until completely cold — at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Step 3: Thicken with Cornstarch
Once the reduced must is completely cold, transfer most of it back to the large pot. Reserve about 1 cup of cold must in a separate bowl and whisk in the cornstarch until completely smooth with no lumps. This slurry must be made with cold liquid — cornstarch added to hot liquid lumps immediately.
Whisk the slurry into the pot with the remaining must. Add the cinnamon. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens — about 5 to 6 minutes.
Step 4: Set and Serve
Work quickly once the pudding is thickened — it begins to set within minutes of coming off the heat. Ladle immediately onto two large dinner plates or shallow dishes. Scatter the toasted walnuts over the top. Transfer to the refrigerator to set completely. To serve, spoon onto individual plates.
Storage
Refrigerated, covered, for 3 to 4 days. Serve cold or at cool room temperature.
Per Serving
- ~185 calories
- 4g fat, 38g carbs, 3g protein — the sweetness is entirely natural from the grape must
Make This at Harvest
Mostarda di uva is one of those recipes that doesn’t travel well outside of its season — outside of harvest time when the must is fresh, it can’t really be made. If you’re in wine country in September or October, or if you have a connection to someone pressing grapes, this is the recipe to ask them about. It tastes like nothing that comes from a shop. Tell me in the comments what grape variety your must came from and what nuts you used on top. Rate the recipe, save it on Pinterest, and subscrib
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Sicilian Grape Must Pudding (Mostarda di Uva / Farinata d’Uva)
Freshly pressed red wine grape must reduced by half, thickened with cornstarch, set on plates, and topped with toasted walnuts. A traditional Sicilian harvest pudding made every autumn when the grapes are pressed. Deeply flavored, naturally sweet, and unlike anything store-bought.
- Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield12 servings (two 10-inch plates) 1x
Ingredients
The Pudding
- 4 L freshly pressed red wine grape must (about 16 cups) — strained through a fine mesh sieve
- 200 g cornstarch (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Topping
- 100 g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped (about 1 cup) — or almonds, hazelnuts, or pistachios
Instructions
Strain and Reduce the Must
- Strain the must: Pour the freshly pressed grape must through a fine mesh sieve to remove grape skins, seeds, and particles. Strain at least twice, ideally four times for a clean result. Alternatively, boil first and strain at the end.
- Reduce by half: Place the strained must in a large heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling until the must has reduced by half — this takes about 1 hour 15 minutes. The must will darken and intensify. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Thicken and Set
- Make the thickened pudding: Once completely cold, transfer most of the reduced must back to the large pot. Reserve about 1 cup of cold must in a separate bowl and whisk in the cornstarch until completely smooth with no lumps. Whisk this slurry into the pot with the rest of the must and add the cinnamon.
- Cook and set immediately: Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens — about 5 to 6 minutes. It will thicken quickly once it reaches boiling. Working immediately (it begins to set as it cools), ladle the mixture onto two large dinner plates or shallow dishes. Top with the toasted chopped walnuts. Transfer to the refrigerator to set completely. Spoon onto individual plates to serve.
Notes
This is a seasonal recipe made during the autumn grape harvest when fresh grape must (mosto d’uva) is available. If you do not have access to freshly pressed must, an alternative is to pass approximately 2.5 kg of wine grapes through a food mill to extract the juice. The cornstarch slurry must be made with cold must — adding cornstarch to hot liquid creates lumps. Work quickly when ladling the thickened pudding onto plates as it begins to set within minutes of cooking. The recipe fills two 10-inch dinner plates and can be halved. Keeps refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Italian, Sicilian
Nutrition
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 10
- Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 3
