Spelt
Spelt was used long ago by the ancient Romans as an ingredient in their puls latina, a dish comprising a mixture of cereal and legumes cooked in water. Every family possessed a special mill to separate the grain from the hard, bearded husks.
Botanically speaking, Umbrian spelt belongs to the variety Triticum durum dicoccum, and is cultivated primarily in the region around Montelone and Spoleto. Following the introduction of wheat, which was easier to process, the importance of spelt, which has to undergo a special process to remove the husk after threshing, declined rapidly.
This undemanding cereal plant continued to be grown only in regions where nothing else would grow. In recent years, however, spelt has been rediscovered – not least because of its dietary and nutritional value – and consumption is steadily increasing.
Spelt contains more essential amino acids, in other words the protein building blocks necessary for life, than many types of wheat. It also provides more vitamins and trace elements. Since spelt also contains a considerable amount of silicic acid, it not only ensures a good complexion and shining hair, but is also reputed to stimulate the mental facilities. As a rule, spelt needs soaking for between 12 and 48 hours, and then requires several hours’ cooking. Nowadays, cooking time can be halved with the aid of the pressure cooker. If the grain is coarsely ground before it is prepared, soaking can be eliminated entirely. The time required for cooking is then only 20 to 30 minutes, as long as is necessary to swell the spelt over a low heat. Minestra di farro, spelt soup, is one of the most traditional spelt dishes, which is also familiar in Lazio. The popular and wholesome imbrecciata is a stew made from various types of cereals and legumes.
