Grain

Triticum dicoccum

S tier

Triticum dicoccum is emmer wheat—the botanical core of true Italian farro medio—hulled ancient wheat with a tough glume and a deeply nutty, robust berry. Grains are fatter than einkorn, smaller than many modern wheats, and keep a firm chew when cooked. This species fed Neolithic farmers and Roman armies before bread wheat dominated. Buy as farro medio or emmer; cook whole or semi-pearled. Emmer flour makes dense, flavourful breads and pasta. It is not spelt, though shops sometimes blur names under “farro.”