Ancient Grains for Modern Meals - Maria Speck [14]
While some ancient wheat varieties survive, two kinds of wheat are most commonly cultivated today. Durum wheat is a very hard grain that is best suited for making pasta (for which it has probably been used as far back as the first century BC). When durum kernels are ground, they splinter into fragments that are called semolina—which are also the basis for making couscous. The other main wheat is “hard” bread wheat. Here the hardness refers to the protein content—bread wheat has a large proportion of glutenin, the main protein forming the gluten that gives nice elasticity to wheat bread. Wheat is also distinguished by color (red and white) and by the growing season (winter and spring).
In cooking and baking, you might also encounter “soft” wheat, which has a lower protein content and is typically milled into cake flour. Ancient wheat varieties such as farro, spelt, and Kamut have seen a comeback in recent years and have found new appreciation with food lovers. Some people who are sensitive to wheat can tolerate these ancient grains and products made from them (see also “Farro: Ancient and Ambrosial”). I discuss each one separately below.
WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR AND “WHITE” WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR Regular whole wheat flour is milled from hard red wheat berries and has a hearty flavor and texture. Some people perceive it as slightly bitter, though I think one reason could be that the flour was old (and thus rancid). However, if your family is not very experimental, try using “white” whole wheat flour in your baking and no one will be able to tell. White here does not mean that the flour has been refined, but rather that it has been milled from a different kind of hard wheat. White whole wheat is lighter in color and naturally slightly sweet (it has less tannin), but it retains the same beneficial nutrients and fiber as regular whole wheat. It has become much more widely available in the past decade.
While you can use regular and white whole wheat flour interchangeably, I suggest that you use the flour I recommend in each recipe, as their flavors are unique. I use regular whole wheat flour for baked goods when I look for heartiness and a more savory aroma, as in rustic breads and certain pizzas for example. In sweet baked goods, I typically choose white whole wheat flour. But try for yourself and see.
WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY FLOUR This flour is ground from soft whole wheat berries and is best used for more delicate baked goods such as cakes. It has a lower protein content similar to that of refined cake flour, which is also milled from soft wheat. I often combine it with protein-rich white whole wheat flour, which adds structure and texture to baked goods.
WHEN YOU SHOP Whole wheat berries are sold as hard or soft wheat berries. While soft wheat berries are harder to track down, they are an appealing choice, especially if you are new to whole grains. For one, they cook faster. But they are also less chewy, which makes them an attractive addition to stews, pilaf, and salads.
FARRO Popular farro is not one kind of wheat; rather, the term is commonly used when referring to three ancient wheat varieties still cultivated in Italy: farro piccolo (also known by the German einkorn), farro medio (also known as emmer, the Hebrew word for mother) and farro grande (also known as spelt, see below). Ancient wheat varieties such as these grow well in poor soil but are less amenable to modern farming methods and have thus fallen by the wayside.
Emmer was first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, almost ten thousand years ago. It has survived to this day in mountainous regions of Morocco, Spain, and Turkey, and it is likely the most common ancient wheat still cultivated in parts of Italy, especially in Tuscany. In Ethiopia,