Today being a dreary, typically West Coast Summer Day I made bread. I make it quite often, actually, but usually leave it to the breadmaker to do the whole thing. However, this time I used Spelt Flour, bought on my travels Down South (West), and used a recipe which was apparently used by the Romans 2000 years ago.
Spelt - I had heard of it, just - was one of the first grains to be grown by early farmers as long ago as 5,000 BC. Hildegarde of Bingen, of whose plainsong I am a fan, wrote some 800 years ago about spelt: "The spelt is the best of grains. It is rich and nourishing and milder than other grain. It produces a strong body and healthy blood to those who eat it and it makes the spirit of man light and cheerful. If someone is ill boil some spelt, mix it with egg and this will heal him like a fine ointment." I found it interesting to use - the recipe made a very floppy dough (very sticky!) - and rose, or rather spread, with surprising rapidity. The recipe was simple, using olive oil, honey and salt along with the water and yeast.
I'm waiting to see if I become noticeably light and cheerful, let alone stronger, but meanwhile it was jolly good.
my pagan friends have been baking something similar for a harvest festival, the name of which escapes me, and I can avow that that was good. How did you shape it so well? My bread always looks slightly misshapen
ReplyDeleteCould you share the recipe?
ReplyDeleteSagremor - i just put the sort of oval blob of dough (quite floppy) on a baking sheet and covered it with oiled cling film to let it rise. It didn't so much rise as spread till it looked like a Tribble ...
ReplyDeleteWriting_here: 1lb spelt four; 1/2tsp. sea salt; 3 tbsp. olive oil; 1 tsp. honey; 1/2 oz quick yeast (this was a bit hit and miss - it should have been fresh yeast so I guessed the amount); 14fl. oz warm water.
I made the dough in the bread machine and then took it out, divided into two blobs, let it rise on a greased baking sheet for 30 mins and baked in a preheated oven at 180ºC /370ºF for 35 mins.