Moustalevria

{{Infobox prepared food

| name = Moustalevria

| image =

| caption =

| alternate_name = {{lang|el-latn|Moustokouloura}} (cookies), {{lang|el-latn|mustopita}} (pie form), {{lang|el-latn|palouzes}}, {{lang|el-latn|kefteria}}, {{lang|el-latn|kourkouta}}

| region =

| creator =

| type = Pudding

| served =

| main_ingredient = Grape must, flour

| variations =

| calories =

| other =

| name_lang = el-latn

| place_of_origin = Greece

}}

{{Lang|el-latn|Moustalevria}} ({{langx|el|μουσταλευριά}}) or must jelly (also mustpie and mustcake) is a traditional Greek kind of pudding made of grape must mixed with flour and boiled until thick. {{Lang|el-latn|Moustokouloura}}, must biscuits or must cookies are the biscuit (cookie) version.

Historical information and names

{{Lang|el-latn|Moustalevria}} originated in Ancient Greece where it was known under the name {{Lang|grc-latn|oinouta}} ({{Langx|grc|οινούτα}}).{{Cite web |url=http://www.ienh.org/bulletins/octobre16.pdf |title=Le bulletin «Les Nouvelles» est édité par l’Institut d'Etudes Néo-Helléniques de Paris |access-date=2020-05-11 |archive-date=2020-12-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201229051552/http://www.ienh.org/bulletins/octobre16.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{dubious|date=November 2015|reason=This word doesn't appear in Liddell-Scott or Sophocles' Byzantine dictionary}}

During the Byzantine era it was called {{Lang|grc-latn|mustopita}} ({{Lang|grc|μουστόπιτα}}) or {{Lang|grc-latn|pastellos}} ({{Lang|grc|πάστελλος}}).{{cite web|last1=Kafiri|first1=Simoni|title=Κλασική μουσταλευριά|url=http://www.protothema.gr/recipes/article/407246/klasiki-moustaleuria/|website=protothema.gr|publisher=Proto Thema|access-date=25 November 2015|date=4 September 2014|language=el}} Nowadays except from its standard name, {{Lang|el-latn|moustalevria}} has alternative names that differ from place to place, e.g., it is also known as {{Lang|el-latn|kefteria}}{{cite web|last1=Zacharioudakis|first1=Fanourios|title=Κεφτέρια ή αλλιώς Μουσταλευριά|url=http://www.cretanmagazine.gr/eidiseis/creta/kritika/kefteria-i-allios-moustalevria/|website=cretanmagazine.gr|publisher=Cretan Magazine|access-date=25 November 2015|language=el|date=6 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126053840/http://www.cretanmagazine.gr/eidiseis/creta/kritika/kefteria-i-allios-moustalevria/|archive-date=26 November 2015|url-status=dead}} in Crete, {{Lang|el-latn|kourkouta}} in Samos, {{Lang|el-latn|palouzes}}{{cite web|title=Ππαλουζές|url=http://foodmuseum.cs.ucy.ac.cy/web/guest/parsintages/civitem/850|website=foodmuseum.cs.ucy.ac.cy|publisher=Cyprus Food Virtual Museum|access-date=20 November 2015|language=el|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151121035530/http://foodmuseum.cs.ucy.ac.cy/web/guest/parsintages/civitem/850|archive-date=21 November 2015|url-status=dead}} in Cyprus and {{Lang|el-latn|mustopita}}Γ. Μπαμπινιώτη(2005), Λεξικό της Νέας Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, Athens, 2005, p. 1129.{{cite web|title=Χριστουγεννιάτικη Σιατιστινή Κουζίνα|url=http://siatistanews.gr/1203/xristougenna/1203afkouzina.html|website=siatistanews.gr|publisher=Siatista News|access-date=25 November 2015|language=el}} in other regions.

Preparation

File:Grape must cookies (moustokouloura).jpg

In order to produce {{Lang|el-latn|moustalevria}}, grape must (the juice from pressed grapes before fermentation) is boiled in low fire. Then a small amount of argil is added in order to clean the must.{{cite web|title=Palouzes / Sioutzoukos|url=http://www.letymbou.org/en/traditional-len/palouzes-len|website=letymbou.org|publisher=Community Council of Letymbou|access-date=25 November 2015|archive-date=29 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201229132512/http://www.letymbou.org/en/traditional-len/palouzes-len|url-status=dead}} After the boil, ingredients like flour, sugar, semolina, petimezi, sesame, vanilla, almonds, walnuts, etc. are included. {{Lang|el-latn|Moustalevria}} is popular at grape harvest season when the must is fresh.