Ancient Grains: Einkorn

A Special Preservation

When Otzi the Iceman was discovered in the Swiss Alps in 1991, the last meal in his stomach included bread made from Einkorn. The ancient grain is thought to be the first cultivated crop by archologists. Resistant to drought and poor soil conditions, Einkorn is an easy to grow crop that can sow itself. It grows a dense root system, keeping other “weeds” from growing among it’s crop. Naturally pest resistant, you can imagine how Einkorn has forged its way in our world for thousands of years.

Difficult Harvest

The ancient grains known as “farro” have a protective hull around each grain. This makes the threshing process a bit tougher. Modern wheat has been cultivated to create berries that are easily threshed from the plant. Combine equipment is able to harvest and thresh simultaneously. Recent studies have been discovering that this cultivated crop has lost the original nutrient contents of these ancient grains. The best doesn’t come easy.

Where to purchase einkorn wheat

I like to purchase all of my wheat berries from Azure Standard.

Health Benefits

Einkorn boasts high fiber content and lower gluten content*. It is also a strong source of niacin, playing an important role in the microbiome. Emmer also has a low glycemic index, releasing the glucose slowly, helping to regulate blood sugar levels. Studies have concluded that diets including farro grains (emmer, einkorn, spelt and rye) may delay onset of type 2 diabetes. * Anyone with a true celiac diagnosis cannot process gluten of any kind

Hydration Ratio for Baking

When baking with whole grains you must consider the structure of the grain you are using. It’s not like using white AP flour where the flour is readily hydrated and easily controlled. For optimal results in baking, the Einkorn wheat likes to autolyze with 75% hydration for anywhere from 1-2 hours.

Because of the weak gluten structure, einkorn, emmer and rye are best for no knead breads, never kneaded with a mixer. Long hydration and minimal kneading will yield the best artisan loaves baked in a dutch oven.

Milling Ratio for Flour

2/3 cup of berries mills into 1 cup unsifted flour