After
have tried different types of flours, I've decided, having heard
many people talking about, to try to make bread with einkorn's
flour (Triticum monococcum L.).
I
was looking for information about einkorn from a long time, but
the informations found in the stores where I have seen the
flour, didn't satisfy me.
So,
surfing the net I started collecting new informations on this
cereal.
The
first sign I found was on the web site of one of the producers of einkorn's flour, a reference to what was found in the stomach of
the "iceman" mummy (Ötzi). The mummy found on the Alps
next to the border between Italy and Austria. The fact that the
estimated age of the mummy is more than 5000 years, confirmed me
first of all that the theory of the ancient origin of einkorn was
true.This discovery is mentioned also in an article published
on National Geographic Magazine
Where
the sentence :"he
had eaten red meat and some
sort of wheat",
make reference proper to the finding of einkorn in his gut.I
have found another similar reference on the book Applied Palaeontology of Robert Wynn Jones
In
This book, the details of the food found in Ötzi's
gut,
are more specific. Besides the einkorn, other details are given,
about the kind of meat eaten before dying by this ancient
inhabitant of the Alps.
Ötzi
had eaten meat of ibex and red deer. This details involved me
emotionally in the preparation of this bread. In part for the
passion I have for baking, and also for the passion I have for
mountains.
I
have tried to thought,
working with my imagination, how a bread made more than 5000
years ago, could be.
I have thought that it must be a bread with a simple form and with essential ingredients. At the end I have
found a good compromise between teast and history. Than I have
started the action. For the making of the dough, I have decided to
proceed manually. The only modern device I used is the oven.
Considering that 5000 years ago the kneaders didn't exist. Unfortunately, the flour of einkorn I have used, as I heard, it is not easy to be kneaded by hands. In fact, I knew that some varieties of einkorn are particularly sticky during the kneading. This way I have discovered that the one I had bought was one of those sticky. But I prefer to talk about the various types of einkorn and its characteristics the next time.
For the moment let me tell you that was a true satisfaction to complete my job. In the end I had a very tasty bread with a good falvouring.
Moreover, during all the steps of baking (as I usually do), also this time I take the mood from music. Choosing a CD of a concert I went last month. Where, while listening to that music for the first time, I was thinking about how make Ötzi's bread.
Considering that 5000 years ago the kneaders didn't exist. Unfortunately, the flour of einkorn I have used, as I heard, it is not easy to be kneaded by hands. In fact, I knew that some varieties of einkorn are particularly sticky during the kneading. This way I have discovered that the one I had bought was one of those sticky. But I prefer to talk about the various types of einkorn and its characteristics the next time.
For the moment let me tell you that was a true satisfaction to complete my job. In the end I had a very tasty bread with a good falvouring.
Moreover, during all the steps of baking (as I usually do), also this time I take the mood from music. Choosing a CD of a concert I went last month. Where, while listening to that music for the first time, I was thinking about how make Ötzi's bread.
For this reason, I have decided of listen it again while I was baking.
Ötzi's bread
this is the result of my work
(comments, suggestions and questions are welcomed)
If only I could taste your bread!
ReplyDelete