{"id":64064,"date":"2016-03-16T15:15:03","date_gmt":"2016-03-16T14:15:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/?p=64064"},"modified":"2021-10-04T15:18:38","modified_gmt":"2021-10-04T13:18:38","slug":"traditional-catalan-recipe-mel-i-mato","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/traditional-catalan-recipe-mel-i-mato\/","title":{"rendered":"Traditional Catalan Recipe: Mel i Mato"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Mel i Mato&nbsp;<\/strong>is a&nbsp;<strong>Catalan dessert<\/strong> made from <strong>mat\u00f3<\/strong> &#8211; a&nbsp;fresh <strong>cheese<\/strong> found in Catalonia made from cow or goat&#8217;s milk without any added salt. It is similar in texture to ricotta cheese although milder in taste and drizzled with <strong>honey<\/strong> and nuts.<\/p>\n<div id=\"metaslider-id-104522\" style=\"max-width: 850px; margin: 0 auto;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-20-3 metaslider metaslider-responsive metaslider-104522 ml-slider\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_104522\">\n        <ul id='metaslider_104522' class='rslides'>\n            <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/\" target=\"_self\"><img width=\"850\" height=\"182\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/en-1.jpg\" class=\"slider-104522 slide-104523\" alt=\"rental apartments in Barcelona\" rel=\"\" title=\"Banner medio home inquilinos\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n        <\/ul>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">It<strong>&nbsp;<\/strong>is a traditional <strong>dessert<\/strong> that&nbsp;dates back to the middle ages&nbsp;when&nbsp;<strong>mat\u00f3<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>cheese<\/strong> was made from just goats milk because cows were too expensive, although it is still widely enjoyed throughout the region.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/traditional-catalan-recipe-mel-i-mato\/#Where_to_have_mel_i_mato_for_dessert\" title=\"Where to have mel i mato for dessert?\">Where to have mel i mato for dessert?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/traditional-catalan-recipe-mel-i-mato\/#How_to_make_mel_i_mato_at_home_-_the_cheats_method\" title=\"How to make mel i mato at home &#8211; the cheat&#8217;s method\">How to make mel i mato at home &#8211; the cheat&#8217;s method<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/traditional-catalan-recipe-mel-i-mato\/#Homemade_mato\" title=\"Homemade&nbsp;mat\u00f3\">Homemade&nbsp;mat\u00f3<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/traditional-catalan-recipe-mel-i-mato\/#Ingredients\" title=\"Ingredients\">Ingredients<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/traditional-catalan-recipe-mel-i-mato\/#Method\" title=\"Method\">Method<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/traditional-catalan-recipe-mel-i-mato\/#Mel_i_Mato_with_a_twist\" title=\"Mel i Mato with a twist\">Mel i Mato with a twist<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_to_have_mel_i_mato_for_dessert\"><\/span>Where to have mel i mato for dessert?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">You will see it on the menu of many <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/discover-authentic-catalan-restaurants-in-barcelona\/\"><strong>Catalan<\/strong> <strong>restaurants<\/strong><\/a> in Barcelona and it is definitely worth a try. The <strong>cheese<\/strong> is so smooth and creamy while the honey adds a wonderful sweetness and the nuts a brilliant crunchy texture, resulting in a light yet delicious&nbsp;sweet.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_64065\" style=\"width: 612px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/9321785574_f02ee1afbc_z-1-e1457203646244.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-64065\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64065\" class=\"wp-image-64065 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/9321785574_f02ee1afbc_z-1-e1457203646244.jpg\" alt=\"mel i mato\" width=\"602\" height=\"555\"><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-64065\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo via Visualhunt<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">What&#8217;s more, its relatively healthy as far as puddings go so there&#8217;s no need to feel guilty after indulging.&nbsp;So if you&#8217;re hosting a dinner party or simply fancy trying out this decadent <strong>dessert<\/strong>, here are a couple of different&nbsp;recipes to choose from, depending on how well you know your way around the kitchen.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-large fasc-type-flat fasc-rounded-medium ico-fa fasc-ico-before fa-chevron-circle-right broken_link\" style=\"background-color: #850909; color: #ffffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/barcelona-rent\" rel=\"nofollow\">Rent your next apartment in Barcelona<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_make_mel_i_mato_at_home_-_the_cheats_method\"><\/span>How to make mel i mato at home &#8211; the cheat&#8217;s method<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you don&#8217;t feel like making your own cheese, the recipe is <strong>Mel i Mato&nbsp;<\/strong>is pretty foolproof.&nbsp;You can buy the <strong>cheese&nbsp;<\/strong>from many supermarkets, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/buy-cheese-in-barcelona-best-spots\/\">cheese shops<\/a><\/strong> and markets around the city, and it&#8217;s not too pricey.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Just put in on a plate, add a generous drizzle of <strong>honey<\/strong> and sprinkling of nuts and hey presto you have yourself a dessert ready in the blink of an eye. It&#8217;s perfect for an impromptu dinner with friends or a lazy weeknight <strong>dessert<\/strong> for one.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Related article:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/catalan-recipes-panellets\/\">Catalan Recipes: Panellets<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Homemade_mato\"><\/span>Homemade&nbsp;mat\u00f3<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you do feel like making the recipe from scratch, it&#8217;s not too tricky and only requires a few simple ingredients (Serves 4):<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_64099\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/625269792_8598951091_b-e1457287668493.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-64099\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-64099\" class=\"wp-image-64099\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/625269792_8598951091_b-e1457287668493.jpg\" alt=\"mel y mato\" width=\"640\" height=\"584\"><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-64099\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo via Visualhunt<\/p><\/div>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ingredients\"><\/span>Ingredients<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">1 litre of whole milk<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">1 lemon &#8211; juice only<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">5 tablespoons of <strong>honey<\/strong> (or more if you have a sweet tooth)<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify;\">A handful of walnuts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Method\"><\/span>Method<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a large heavy based saucepan, bring the milk to a boil and then take it off the heat.&nbsp;Next, add the lemon juice &nbsp;to the hot milk and stir well until it curdles.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Line a fine mesh colander with a cheesecloth and press the mixture through until on the curd remains.&nbsp;Place the colander over a bowl to let the excess water drain and put it in the freezer for an hour or two.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When you&#8217;re ready to serve, add the <strong>honey<\/strong> and the nuts and enjoy!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"fasc-button fasc-size-large fasc-type-flat fasc-rounded-medium ico-fa fasc-ico-before fa-chevron-circle-right\" style=\"background-color: #850909; color: #ffffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/\">Check out ShBarcelona&#8217;s services<\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mel_i_Mato_with_a_twist\"><\/span>Mel i Mato with a twist<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you want to add a zesty twist to this classic <strong>Barcelona <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/a-sweet-tour-of-barcelona\/\">dessert<\/a> recipe<\/strong>, you can add the zest of one orange to the milky mixture. If you fancy something more fragrant, try adding a couple of cardamom pods, some cloves or star anise.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_106670\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-106670\" class=\"size-full wp-image-106670\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/figs-geb7f9edb2_640.jpg\" alt=\"figs\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-106670\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Photo via Pixabay<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">As far as extra toppings go, fresh figs and flaked almonds complement the delicate cheese perfectly. Alternatively, you could opt for juicy strawberries and crumbled amaretti biscuits or even some dried fruits for a hint of &nbsp;extra sweetness.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Have you tried making this Catalan dessert recipe?<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Tell us if you like mel i mato, and if it&#8217;s the best dessert in Barcelona!<\/strong><\/p>\n<div style=\"display: none;\"\n    class=\"kk-star-ratings kksr-valign-bottom kksr-align-left \"\n    data-id=\"64064\"\n    data-slug=\"\">\n    <div class=\"kksr-stars\">\n    <div class=\"kksr-stars-inactive\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"1\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"2\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"3\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"4\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\" data-star=\"5\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"kksr-stars-active\" style=\"width: 110px;\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"kksr-star\">\n            <div class=\"kksr-icon\" style=\"width: 25px; height: 25px;\"><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n    <div class=\"kksr-legend\">\n            <strong class=\"kksr-score\">3.8<\/strong>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">\/<\/span>\n        <strong>5<\/strong>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">(<\/span>\n        <strong class=\"kksr-count\">25<\/strong>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">\n            votes        <\/span>\n        <span class=\"kksr-muted\">)<\/span>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mel i Mato&nbsp;is a&nbsp;Catalan dessert made from mat\u00f3 &#8211; a&nbsp;fresh cheese found in Catalonia made from cow or goat&#8217;s milk without any added salt. It is similar in texture to ricotta cheese although milder in taste and drizzled with honey and nuts. &nbsp; It&nbsp;is a traditional dessert that&nbsp;dates back to the middle ages&nbsp;when&nbsp;mat\u00f3&nbsp;cheese was made [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":64067,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[5],"tags":[1838,1645,3602,3603],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64064"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64064"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64064\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":106671,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64064\/revisions\/106671"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64067"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shbarcelona.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}