Grains: Spelt

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I thought I would do a little blog about spelt. Many of you know spelt, and many people love it for its nutty, slightly sweet, but vibrant taste, it’s nutrition, and its being an ancient grain. Biodynamic or organic Victorian spelt is hard to come across at the moment, due to the dry season, and we are currently getting biodynamic spelt grain grown in NSW. It is differing slightly to the Victorian spelt we have been getting until now, and can absorb more water and has more body to it.

This is one of the challenges of making organic sourdough with flour that is completely unadulterated; the grain differs, as it should, depending on where and when it was grown, the season, variety, the soil. These things are all allowed to come through in the finished product, unlike conventional roller milled flour which is also milled from grain from different parts of the country, has differing seasons, and could be many types; however, conventional, white, roller milled flour from the big commercial mills has to perform the same every time, every packet, every season, as this is what the customer ( many of whom are big bakeries) have come to expect, and demand. So the big mills mill everything out except the inner part of the grain which has the least nutrients, heating as they do so, and then doctor the flour to make it perform to standard, by putting in additives which do not have to be listed as they are in minute amounts. This results in a flour completely devoid of any goodness or character, unnatural, and containing things which we do not need, do not know about, and having what effect on our bodies?

This is why we are such keen millers of our own flour; we know, thanks to stringent certification of organics and biodynamics, that the grain we buy is excellent, natural, and grown in ways that are sustainable and ethical. We then we take that grain, run it through our stone mill, and make sourdough with it!

Anyway, back to spelt. Triticum spelta is related to wheat, Triticum sativum but is a much older grain than the modernised common wheat varieties largely grown today. There have been finds of carbonated grains of spelt throughout Europe, dating to the Stone Age, and evidence of its use in the Middle East, thousands of years ago, so it was widely grown and used. Spelt became much less popular early in the 20th century, and bread wheat was grown much more widely. The main reason for this is that spelt grains are covered in a tough outer husk that requires extra threshing to remove. As farm machinery developed, the comparative ease and speed of threshing and milling wheat meant that most farmers turned away from spelt and grew wheat instead.

However, in the 1980s, spelt was rediscovered in Europe and has become increasingly popular once again, though it still requires an extra process to remove the outer husk! It was first grown in Australia in NSW in 1988; from 50 grains of spelt imported from Europe, and after four years of harvesting with a pair of scissors, enough grain was built up to eventually become a decent crop. From there it has been on a steady increase in demand and popularity.

Spelt is not as high yielding as modern wheat varieties, but this has benefits, as it doesn’t draw as much from the soil. Being unadulterated in any way, it is sustainable, hardy, resistant to harsh weather and disease.

Nutritionally, spelt is quite exceptional. Higher in protein, amino acids, and many vitamins and basic minerals than common wheat varieties, it also has a higher water solubility, making it easier to digest and for the body to absorb the nutrients.  Spelt contains gluten, but because it is more soluble, it is easier for the body to digest, and therefore, many people with gluten allergies can tolerate spelt.

The spelt sourdough we make at Oak and Swan is made from a 100% wholegrain spelt starter, which is  mixed with wholegrain spelt flour, water, and salt. It is a very active grain, and uses less starter than most of our other doughs, but is producing such a beautiful, light-in-weight-dark-in-crumb bread. It is a pleasure to pull it out of the oven. I love it for a salad sandwich, or toasted with peanut butter and slices of pear. It keeps well for days, unwrapped in the bread box or just wrapped in a tea towel, and is delicious, even if I do say so myself!