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Home , Durum, Emmer, Farro, Spelt

MARCH 2019; CONTENTS

HISTORY

Emmerging from the Nile...... 02

FOOD WAYS

Farro Emmergency...... 03

FROM THE FIELD

Small Valley Milling...... 05

ARTISANS

White Rose Miso ISAIAH BILLINGTON & SARAH CONEZIO . 07

The Lab CHRIS WRIGHT...... 09

TIPS & RECIPES

Winter ...... 11

Jamie’s Favorite Lasagna...... 12

Emmer Shorties ...... 15

© Lost Co., 2019 HISTORY FOOD WAYS

Emmerging from the Nile Jamie Cohen

The flood patterns of the Nile River 332 B.C.E., and so began the next three allowed for sophisticated in centuries of Egypt under Greek rule. , which for a time relied With the Greeks came Greek culture, Emmergency heavily on the production of emmer customs, and of course: agriculture. As . Scientific name Triticum dicoccum, crops increased in variety, emmer (I know that’s not how it’s ) also known as Olyra in ancient Greek, decreased in use and value until its and Boti or Corn in Demotic Egyptian, is eventual replacement by Wheat, native to the Mediterranean. This which requires less labor to process. ancient served various forms of economic importance in prehistoric Still much confusion and mystery You might think emmer is an obscure you head to an Italian food shop to pick Egypt through Graeco-Roman times. surround the utilization and ultimate you’ve maybe never tasted, until up farro, what you will most likely find is abandonment of emmer wheat in Ancient you realize it’s also called farro. Here’s emmer, which is also known as ‘true Emmer wheat was used for payment, Egypt. Archaeologists often find it tricky the tricky thing: so are spelt and einkorn. farro’ in . But since the Italians stuck , , and for loaves they to distinguish emmer from einkorn, its them all under one umbrella, we got called Kyllestis. In comparison to modern older sibling, and perhaps the term corn Let us explain. confused – U.S. products labeled ‘Farro,’ wheat, emmer has a much lower described several types of grain. Today, are sometimes actually spelt or einkorn. content, which results in bread that more it’s still widely eaten in Italy (where it’s Farro is an Italian term with three closely resembles pita or . known as farro) and health nuts in the classifications:farro piccolo (little farro), Emmer is a German word dating back to U.S. are using Ancient Grain branding to farro medio (medium farro), and farro the High Middle Ages, and the word we This flatbread was a dietary staple until push it back into the spotlight. grande (big farro) – what we know as adopted here in the U.S. in the early 20th the conquest by Alexander the Great in einkorn, emmer, and spelt respectively. If century. So, say you’re using Google

3 FOOD WAYS FROM THE FIELD

Translate to get all this straight. From remains the most prized of the farros by German to Italian, emmer translates to laymen, in part due to its scarcity and farro. But If you translate from Italian to tentative reputation as ‘the oldest wheat’. German, farro translates to spelt. And from English to Italian, emmer translates Emmer can be tricky to work with, but to farro in Italian, but try the reverse and when milled finely and adequately you get ‘spelled.’ That’s not even a grain!! hydrated makes a deceptively strong bread, , or pasta base imbued with Small The (mostly) foolproof way to know what the sweet toasty flavor we love before it you’re buying is to look for the scientific even hits the oven. name. The three are different species in the genus, Triticum ( for Opinion is divided at the bakery about Valley wheat), Triticum monococcum (Einkorn), which farro has the best appeal, but we Triticum dicoccum (Emmer) and Triticum deeply appreciate the agricultural spelta (Spelt). adaptability that keep emmer and spelt high-yielding and lucrative for our Milling All three are hulled , meaning the farmer friends and affordable and grains are enclosed by glumes () plentiful for us! that must be pounded or milled after harvest (other wheats, like hard red and durum are free-threshing, which means Joel Steigman, farmer at Small Valley Steigman understands the value of a the grains lose their hull in the combine). Milling in Halifax, PA, is growing more fall back plan – he and his wife, Elaine, emmer than usual this year. Come April, have been farming for about 50 years. And they are distinctly charactered he’ll be planting a spring variety across They raised conventional hay, corn and grains, best suited for different purposes. 30 acres -- land that should have been livestock until the late 1990s when Of the three, spelt has been most sown with spelt last fall. Steigman decided to switch to organic hybridized with modern wheats (no, we farming practices and grow specialty don’t mean GMO--just a simple “Emmer is great for when we get a year grains. cross-pollination in the fields), and so it like this,” Steigman says -- a year with has the most variety in its base baking particularly high rainfall, he means. Last He started growing Lucille organic properties. Some spelts are quite fragile October, most of his fields were too emmer about 10 years ago, around the and delicate, great for biscuits and scones, soggy to sow spelt; he usually grows 70 time demand in the U.S. for farro (and while others are hardy enough to use as a acres, but this year he was only able to “”) spiked. Since it’s grown primary bread . about 40. in the spring, it strengthens his crop rotation and, in particularly wet years Einkorn has soft flavors, sweet and “If it’s too wet [in the fall], you let the like 2018, he can plant it in place of spelt. redolent of stone fruit that is particularly ground open until spring and then you evident in its aroma when baked. It plant the emmer,” he says. Emmer has lower average yields, which

5 FROM THE FIELD ARTISANS

is why it’s more expensive than spelt brimming with the plumpest, most (Small Valley’s emmer is about double beautiful kernels we’ve seen. It is this the price of their spelt). “We have to combination of quality product, figure profit per acre,” Steigman says. commitment to service, and respect of proper storage and handling that have He’s hoping to get his emmer in the made Small Valley Milling our primary ground in April and harvest around the supplier of grains at Lost Bread Co. beginning of July, but there’s always a chance things won’t go according to plan. White “When you’re in agriculture,” Steigman says, Rose Miso “You’re at the weather’s mercy.” Isaiah Billington & Sarah Conezio

We first encountered the Steigman’s We started making our emmer farro miso are responsible, respectively, for the spelt and emmer, unknowingly, 5+ years when we were first learning about miso sweet and umami flavors for which miso ago in the form of Castle Valley Mill fermentation. We didn’t know that miso is prized. Since we didn’t know, at the flour, and have since learned that they is almost always made from koji, grown time, what we didn’t know, we omitted are one of the primary suppliers of these on a grain like or , and the beans entirely. This left us with a grains in the mid-Atlantic. The honeyed, soybeans. We were also unaware that miso concentrated fully on sweetness grassy notes of the spelt allured us, and most grains for miso production are -- syrupy with a tawny caramel aroma we found it easy to incorporate the flour highly polished -- the is removed so from the bran. into our repertoire. Emmer’s deep, that the mold can grow freely, unimpeded roasted nut and dark caramel notes were by armor. We did know that we had Drop the miso into broth, just like you intoxicating, but the flour was beyond a ton of emmer farro from would with any white miso, or get our skill level at the time. We were Small Valley Milling, an organic grain creative! The chefs that order it from us thrilled to rediscover it more recently, outfit just north of Harrisburg. currently use it folded into bread , and to find that the Steigmans have been whipped into butter to accompany bread, working diligently to make this Miso fermentation is the process of or incorporate it into any wet rub or glaze wonderful grain more accessible. growing a specific mold on a grain (the for roasting or broiling fish, squash, or previously mentioned koji), which creates carrots. We like to use it in dressings and Like all of their whole grains, their enzymes that break down complex sauces as well, to add depth of flavor to emmer arrives immaculately cleaned into sugar and into simple meals. and packaged in vacuum-seal bags, amino acids. Those sugars and aminos

7 ARTISANS ARTISANS

EMMER FARRO MISO NOODLES

Keep in mind this is the ultra basic version of this recipe, presented just to highlight the marriage of miso and butter, as well as miso’s sauce-binding capabilities . There’s no reason not to involve some chile flake, sage leaf, black pepper, good hard grating cheese, citrus or vinegar, or any other embellishments to tailor for your palate and occasion! Chris Wright Makes two servings (for light eaters)

You’ll Need: 8 oz. Short noodles 1 Bunch adult spinach, washed and When the crew over at Lost Bread presented us with a bag of superfine whole (farfalle is ideal) rough chopped grain emmer flour we quickly scrambled home and turned this into a silky dough 1-2 Tablespoons butter 1-2 Tablespoons Emmer Farro Miso for fresh pasta . We don’t typically make whole grain pasta simply because most 1/4 Medium sweet onion, julienne Salt & pepper to taste flour is not milled fine enough . The emmer flour that we were given was milled so 8 Cremini mushrooms, cleaned and incredibly fine that we felt obligated to use it without any further sifting or quartered refining . This was a wise decision; the resulting pasta had incredible flavor as we conceded to eating bowls of it with little more than a light coating of olive oil and In a large pot, boil water for the pasta. After a few seconds you should have salt . What better way to enjoy the flavor of this ancient grain? Preheat a 9” frying pan over medium low some serious steam, wilting the spinach. heat. If using dry (not fresh) pasta, the Start to shake the pan with vigor, flipping sauce should be ready for the noodles at and folding its contents over back on EMMER TAGLIATELLE the same time the noodles are ready for themselves many times. The miso will Makes four servings the sauce. emulsify the butter and pasta water; add a little more miso and/or butter here to You’ll Need: Drop the noodles in the pot of boiling taste. You may not need to salt at all if Gram scale A few small bowls for mise en water. Add 1 tablespoon butter, onions, you put enough miso in. Once your sauce (or measuring cups if you must) place and mushrooms into the frying pan. You is a little creamy, you’re done! Eat it! Fork Spray bottle filled w/ water don’t have to disturb them too much, just Bench scraper Whole grain Emmer flour 300g, shake the pan and turn everything over Plastic wrap about 3 cups every two minutes or so. Continue to Pasta rollers or rolling pin Whole eggs 171g, 3 Large cook everything until the noodles are Sharp knife done to your satisfaction; strain them, but take care not to dry them thoroughly. Pour emmer flour onto your work surface emmer flour into the eggs. Make an effort The water that hides in the farfalle’s folds and make a well in the center using your to keep the wall of flour intact to prevent is crucial to your next step. fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup. the eggs from running all over your work Crack eggs into this well and carefully surface. Drop the dripping pasta into your frying begin mixing with a fork. Your objective pan, along with the spinach and miso. is to slowly incorporate the wall of The mixture will eventually thicken to

9 ARTISANS ARTISANS the point where your fork will no longer so minutes until the surface is no longer WINTER TABBOULEH be useful. At this point switch to your tacky. If left too long, the dough will Alex Bois bench scraper and start cutting in as you easily crack when folded. At this point would when making a pie crust. you can roll the sheet into a small This dish lends itself well to substitutions, as long as you keep it full of good oil, bundle and cut noodles that measure fresh herbs, plenty of acid, and both juicy and crunchy veggies or fruits . Continuously turn the flour and egg 8mm in width. The noodles should be mixture onto itself while chopping with cooked in heavily salted boiling water Serves two your bench scraper to encourage an even for 2-4 minutes and sauced as desired. distribution of egg. When the flour and You’ll Need: 1 Medium celery root, peeled & water mixture eventually forms an 6oz Emmer “” diced into ¼” cubes evenly shaggy consistency - ditch the 2x Grapefruit 1 Bunch cilantro, washed tools and bring the dough together by 1x Lemon, juiced ½ Cup good oil of choice (great hand. Knead for about 5 minutes, or 1 Small onion, very finely diced with either olive or sunflower) until a smooth ball of dough forms. Use 2-3 Assorted winter radishes, very 1 Tablespoon emmer miso OR ¼ your spray bottle to introduce a tiny thinly sliced teaspoon salt amount of moisture if and when you feel (Green Meat, Watermelon, Purple 1⁄4 Cup chopped Sage it’s needed. Be sure there are no Daikon, Spanish Black are all perceptible dry pieces of unhydrated tasty and beautiful varieties of dough throughout this process. If you winter radishes that work well) find any, keep kneading.

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap Using a microplane, zest 1 grapefruit with cold water until grain is warm but and rest at room temp for at least 1 hour. into bowl. Add juice of 1 lemon . Drizzle not hot. During this hour, prep the rest of your in (while whisking) ¼ cup Good Oil and meal, clean your kitchen, watch some 1 tablespoon emmer miso OR ¼ tsp salt. While emmer is still barely warm, Netflix (you get the idea). Although you Cut grapefruits in half and extract combine with onion, radishes, celery likely won’t see much of a physical segments into bowl using knife. Squeeze root, grapefruit, and citrus/oil dressing in transformation, the flour in your dough out all juice remaining in grapefruits a large bowl and toss well to combine. will continue to hydrate (absorb mois- after extracting most of the flesh. Chill ture) and the gluten will relax after a long dressing/grapefruit segments in Rough-chop cilantro and add to tabbou- period of kneading. While you can roll refrigerator. leh to taste. Garnish with a glug of oil, this out immediately after kneading, the 1 more cilantro, coarsely cracked spices hour rest will make the process much Toss cubed celery root with two table- (coriander is nice), and flake salt. Serve easier on you and the dough. spoons oil and a generous pinch of salt. chilled or at room temp. Roast in 450*F oven until just soft, For long cut noodles (tagliatelle, approximately 12 minutes. pappardelle, fettuccine) roll the dough to the thickness of a dime. The sheets Bring 24oz water to boil and add 1 may need to air dry slightly before heaping teaspoon salt. Add emmer cutting. If this is the case, flip every 5 or “bulgur” and simmer for as little as 15 (for al dente texture) and up to 18 minutes. When cooked, strain and rinse 11 TIPS & RECIPES TIPS & RECIPES

For Emmer Bechamel: Also 1 Bunch broccoli rabe 220 g dried emmer lasagna noodles 50 g Unsalted butter Olive oil 35 g Emmer flour Salt 700 g Whole milk JAMIE’S 55 g Grated parmesan FAVORITE LASAGNA Salt, black pepper, cayenne, Patrick Shafer grated nutmeg

My family doesn’t have any identifiable heritage more than “American” - our TO MAKE THE MUSHROOM RAGU contributions to cultural potlucks were corn casserole and apple pie . So I apologize if you were hoping for a lasagna recipe passed down through genera- Preheat oven to 410F. Cut mushrooms paste darkens, 2-3 minutes. Add wine and tions of -wristed nonnas who fed sprawling families after Sunday mass . into large chunks. Cut apart the broccoli basil to taste and cook, stirring constant- rabe at the base of the stems, resulting in ly, until most liquid evaporates, 5-6 Then again, “traditional” lasagna would be made with -flour pasta . long florets (Use the stems and leaves, minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring Semolina flour - a product of Durum wheat - makes a great noodle . Springy, too!). Add mushrooms and broccoli rabe and crushing tomatoes with back of chewy, and light . It’s the Italian standard . (Literally . A 1967 law requires all Italian to separate bowls. Toss both with two spoon until sauce thickens, 10-12 commercially-produced dried pasta to be made of semolina ). But the popularity tablespoons olive oil and a generous dash minutes. Stir in broth and bring to low of Durum wheat is owed to the nonna of all hard mediterranean wheats - Emmer of salt. Arrange on separate baking sheets simmer. Move pot to back burner over wheat . Emmer was the grain of choice for thousands of years before selective and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from low heat and stir occasionally while breeding - or natural mutation - gave rise to the cultivation of Durum, which was oven, toss, and return to oven for 10-15 preparing bechamel. Cook until very preferred for its ease of processing and superiority in most practical uses . While minutes. Mushrooms should be crisp and thick, 30-40 minutes, then remove from the cultural use of Emmer has dramatically subsided, it’s significance as a dietary golden brown, and broccoli rabe should heat and cool. staple of our ancestors - and thus, a crucial factor in the success of our species be crispy and brown in some areas, but - cannot be overstated . still vibrant green and tender. Remove both trays from oven and let cool. Finely Makes four servings chop mushrooms (to same size as leeks, carrots, and celery) and roughly chop For Mushroom Ragu: broccoli rabe (to pieces about ½” in 170 g Firm mushrooms (portobello, 395 g Whole tomatoes, peeled (good length). Keep broccoli rabe separate for cremini, button, shiitake, etc), quality canned will work best in later use. washed and dried winter) 85 g Leek, finely chopped 113 g broth Heat large saucepan with two table- 85 g Carrot, finely chopped Olive oil spoons olive oil over medium-high heat. 85 g Celery, finely chopped Salt, black pepper, dried basil Add mushrooms, leek, carrot, celery, 30 g Garlic, finely chopped garlic, and dash of salt and pepper. Saute 25 g Tomato paste until softened, 6-8 minutes. Add tomato 85 g Dry white wine paste and cook, stirring constantly, until

13 TIPS & RECIPES TIPS & RECIPES

TO MAKE THE EMMER BECHAMEL EMMER SHORTIES Lex Miller Tips: Don’t stop whisking! Try to scrape increase heat to medium-high. Whisking the bottom of the pan as you whisk, and steadily, cook until sauce thickens, 4-5 Ah, the miracle of shortbread! One of the simplest cookies to make, its tender be ready to set timers for each step. minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and but crumbly texture is great for dipping in coffee or, dare we say, tossed over ice Preparation and technique will ensure cook, whisking steadily, until sauce is cream . Although traditionally made with or white flour, we found emmer’s you have a smooth, creamy sauce. smooth and coats the back of a spoon, toasty flavor brought our love of shortbread to a whole new level . 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk Melt butter in medium saucepan over in parmesan and chopped broccoli rabe, Two important tips for making great shortbread: all of your ingredients should be medium heat. Add flour, salt, pepper, and taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to room temperature (between 60 and 70*F); do not over-mix the dough . cayenne and whisk constantly until flour bowl, press plastic wrap to surface, and darkens and is fragrant and nutty, 4-5 allow to set at room temp for 30 minutes. Makes about a dozen 3” square cookies minutes. Whisking quickly, add milk and You’ll Need: 408 g. Butter (room temp.) 510 g. Emmer flour TO ASSEMBLE 100 g. Sugar 5 g. Salt

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Serve with fresh basil, pesto, and/or Working in batches of 3-4, cook emmer ricotta. In an electric mixer with a paddle Add-in ideas for a bit more oomph: pasta until just flexible, 2-3 minutes. attachment, lightly cream butter and Lemon or Orange Zest, Toasted Pecans, Remove from pot and lay flat on drying sugar together just until incorporated. Cinnamon, Allspice, or Nutmeg, Sea sheet. Douse with Olive oil and loosely Combine emmer flour and salt in a bowl. Salt sprinkled on top cover with parchment paper. Add dry ingredients to the mixer in thirds, mixing just until combined. If Preheat oven to 325*F. Oil a 8”x8” baking there are any sandy bits at the bottom of dish. ‘Evenly spread 5 oz. bechamel over the bowl, gently knead them into the pasta. Evenly spread 5 oz. ragu over dough by hand. bechamel. Evenly spread 10 oz. ragu over bechamel. Cover with single layer of Roll out shortbread evenly on parchment pasta. Repeat until you’ve used all paper, dock (prick) with a fork or a noodles and sauce, finishing with a layer docker, and either cut into shapes now, or of bechamel. Cover dish with aluminum you can bake the sheet as is and cut foil and place dish on baking sheet, then squares with a chef’s knife immediately bake in center rack of oven for 1 hour. after baking. I like to freeze my short- Raise heat to 425*F and move to top rack bread for 20 minutes before baking to of oven for 15-20 minutes, or until top ensure less spreading. Bake at 300* F for layer is brown and crispy. Remove from 30 minutes and try to let cool completely oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes. before devouring.

15 Finire a tarallucci e vino Sam DeGennaro

In English, we like to throw around the idiom Luckily, I’ve never had to use them as a of “breaking bread” with someone to preserve relationship salve, as most of the taralli I’ve peace and maintain friendships. Generally, made are already eaten within an hour of this seems like a universal concept. To invite baking (here’s looking at you, Lost Bread someone to eat with you is a sign of trust, of crew), but I’ll be damned if they don’t make amicable relationships. me feel like all is right with the world. We made them with emmer flour and added The Italians have a similar phrase, with a more fennel and black pepper, as is tradition- haughty implication. “Finire a tarallucci e vino”, al. Whether solo or shared with your jilted or “to finish with taralli and wine,” refers to lover, enjoy them with a glass of Puglian the power of good snacks and good booze to Negroamaro or an Aperol Spritz to get the solidify relationships. After an argument with full euphoric effect of la dolce vita. a friend or partner, one can literally and figuratively solve outstanding issues with some wine and taralli.

Edited by Katherine Rapin, Cover Art by Kat Freeman

Tips & Recipes by the Lost Bread Team; Allison Carafa, Sam DeGennaro, Lex Miller, Anna Rekowska, Sydney Dempsey, Deb Bentzel, Alex Bois, Patrick Shafer

and our dedicated support staff . Lost Bread Co. Grain Share Zine No 03 March 2019; Emmer