Grain
Triticum spelta
A tier
Triticum spelta is spelt—a hulled hexaploid wheat sometimes sold as farro grande in Italian trade mapping. Berries are larger, flavour mellow-nutty, and flour is popular for bread with a slightly sweet, tan crumb. Spelt is widely grown in Europe beyond the Italian farro heartland. Cook whole spelt berries like wheat berries; they are milder than emmer. Spelt flour behaves more like modern wheat than einkorn in doughs. When a “farro” bag is actually spelt, expect larger grains and softer personality.
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History
Spelt emerged as a hulled wheat of European prehistory and early farming.
Spelt (Dinkel) became central to central European peasant bread culture.
Italian trade sometimes classed spelt as farro grande by size.
Organic spelt flour boomed in health-food baking across Europe and North America.