Mastel

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

Mastel is a traditional bread originating from Ghent. The bread resembles a bagel and it is typically cut in half, spread with butter and sprinkled with brown sugar. It is then placed between pieces of aluminum foil and ironed. The ironing process caramelizes the sugar and gives mastel its flat shape. In the past, mastel was ironed with real clothes irons, but today, it is usually heated and flattened with a machine that looks similar to a panini press. You can taste this exceptional sweet treat during the Patershol festivities in August.