Index
ereal contains high energy components, due to its nutrients, carbohydrates , although it is also true that it provides fewer calories than wheat flour. It is because of its high protein content that it stands out: proteins of high biological value, with the amino acid lysine, which is scarce in other cereals. It is a magnificent source of vitamins and minerals belonging to group B.
The origin of spelled refers us to Iran, ancient Egypt and also China, where in addition to being used as food, it was used to make beverages such as beer. When it arrived in Europe, through the Balkans, during the Middle Ages, this cereal was used to make bread for the upper classes, leaving rye bread for the poorest population. Entering the 19th century, spelled decreased its use and cultivation, due to certain difficulties in grinding and productive yield in cultivation. It was then relegated to small rural redoubts where it continued to make.
Currently, in the more mountainous areas, such as Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Spain, this cereal continues to grow, with Switzerland and Germany being the most producing countries. This is because this cereal tolerates the lack of water and withstands low temperatures, and adapts to extreme climates and in areas that are not very favorable for the rest of the cereals. Not to mention that against pests and diseases it has a high resistance. Pesticides are not used in its cultivation, so within the so-called organic cultivation it has been established for a long time.
The nutritional benefits of spelled
Spelled flour has a sweet taste, with a slight nutty resemblance. In water it is more soluble and digested easier than wheat flour. Its gluten level is poorer than in other wheats, but it still has it the same, that is why it is a cereal that should not be consumed by celiacs.
Many people who stop consuming foods containing common wheat and start consuming spelled begin to feel an improvement, especially in cases of health problems that they suffered without an apparent explanation. It is an alternative for those who want to vary the cereals they consume, choosing options for a healthy diet in certain diets, both for its medicinal and nutritional use.
Ways to use spelled
We usually find ground spelled, in the form of flour, but it is also presented in another equally tasty way to cook with it. Ground spelled is usually of two kinds: whole spelled and white spelled. The last one had the bran removed, and can be substituted for wheat flour in any recipe. Whole spelled is the one that, having the same texture and color as common whole wheat, is used in bakery or pastry recipes, with certain modifications in the quantities. We can prepare fresh homemade pasta with spelled flour for soup or pasta dishes, as well as cookies and other baked goods. Anyway, it must be taken into account that it is more soluble in water than common wheat flour, it is recommended that the recipes adapted to spelled flour need three quarters more liquid.
With the flour of this cereal it is necessary to be softer when kneading, because the gluten contained in spelled flour is more fragile than wheat flour, and do not over mix, because an excess can lead to a crumbly preparation of the texture.
Preparations with spelled flour, having a more fragile gluten structure, do not increase in size when baking, like those prepared with common wheat. Anyway, its crust is softer and softer. It is perfect for making bread, adding a part of flour to the proportion of ingredients.
Keeping spelled flour is as simple as keeping it refrigerated. It is also recommended to buy it in places where we know that the sale of this cereal is moving. If we buy it, let it always be in small quantities. If we do not consume it quickly, it must be kept in cool, or dark places, inside hermetic containers.
Finally, it must be remembered that spelled can also be found in grain, which can be cooked whole and added to salads or other meals; as well as consuming them in sprouts, where it has a very pleasant sweet taste and also the nutrients are multiplied. Now that we know more about this cereal, the advice is that you go looking for it and start enjoying its properties and taste. There are cases of people who after trying spelled have not tried common wheat again, and we believe that this is happening is because spelled has come to stay, for a long time.
Spelled recipes
Spelled flour ‘pizza’ dough
We will detail the following recipe in a simple way and with its ingredients so that you can prepare it as soon as you get down to work. It is an ordinary pizza , but with spelled flour and not wheat. The preparation time is approximately 10 minutes, plus fermentation and baking. The ingredients are:
- Water, 200 gr.
- Oil, 50 gr.
- Fresh yeast, 20 gr or dry baker’s yeast, 5.5 gr (optional if you can’t get the previous one).
- White spelled flour, 400 gr.
- Salt, 1 tablespoon.
Its preparation is as follows:
- Put the water and oil in the bowl. Prepare the chopping / kneading blade. Set speed at 3.35 ºC, 30 s.
- Add the yeast and mix at a speed of 6.5 s.
- Add flour and salt. Let the dough rise in the bowl. Program the knife machine automatically at 30ºC for 35m so that this function works well.
- Preheat the oven to 250 ºC, remove the dough from the bowl and stretch it out.
- Place on the oven tray and fill to taste.
Spelled with broccoli recipe
One of the great ideas of cooking cereals is that we can prepare recipes like the one we present now, and one of the results was this spelled with broccoli, which will delight any good gourmet and will surely make you want to cook cereals on more occasions. This recipe has the appeal that it can be eaten as a garnish, or as a single dish. You can also choose whether to eat it cold, like a salad, or hot. It is a one hundred percent vegan dish, and one of the most original.
We could say that this dish is like cooking cereals as if we cook rice (another cereal), because what we will do is use it as a substitute, as if we were making a paella, without having to be Valencian, but with spelled grain. We opted for spelled because in the market it is the richest thing we will find today. Most recipes with spelled are with flour, but this time we will use spelled in grain and the result will be wonderful.
As we have already mentioned, spelled in grain has properties that are different from common wheat, but it also contains gluten, and although it has it in a smaller quantity it is still not suitable for celiacs. Next we will tell you how to make this dish.
The preparation time is 35 m, and the degree of difficulty has been set to easy. It is a dish that 2 to 4 people eat, depending on whether it will be a single dish or a side dish.
The ingredients are as follows:
- spelled, 200 gr
- olive oil
- 1 garlic
- 1 onion
- 1 broccoli, limbed
- 1 red bell pepper
- vegetable broth, 500 to 550 ml
To prepare it, we start by chopping the onion into very small pieces, we will do the same with the red pepper and with the garlic. Use a frying pan with a wide base, pour in the olive oil and when it is warm add the minced garlic to sauté, until we see that it is golden. Once it is golden brown, add the chopped onion and then, when we see it transparent, add the red pepper. We will let it cook for about 6 m.
Next, we will add the spelled in grain, stir to taste and fry for 4 to 5 m, and then pour the vegetable broth. Let it cook for approximately 25 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated. When there are 5 m left, add the limbed broccoli, so that it is al dente.
In summary, there are several reasons to include spelled in our diet. Because it will promote our daily nutrition and our digestion, it is very good for athletes because of the energy it provides, and it is a great help to improve the skin and repair the body’s tissues. As a last tip, be sure to try the spelled bread, to which a drizzle of olive oil is added during preparation, as it is one of the most famous recipes.
Hello Readers, I am Nikki Bella a Psychology student. I have always been concerned about human behavior and the mental processes that lead us to act and think the way we do. My collaboration as an editor in the psychology area of Well Being Pole has allowed me to investigate further and expand my knowledge in the field of mental health; I have also acquired great knowledge about physical health and well-being, two fundamental bases that are directly related and are part of all mental health.