Einkorn is the oldest variety of wheat—first farmed 5,000 to 10,000 years ago. Sometimes it is referred to as farro, farro piccolo or farro einkorn and this can get confusing because in Italy the word farro is used to describe three grains: einkorn, spelt and emmer wheat. If farro is on the menu when dining out, ask what kind of farro the chef is using: einkorn, spelt or emmer. In any case, einkorn flour and berries are becoming popular because they are easy to digest and are usually can be tolerated by gluten-sensitive individuals. It has a sweet flavor and silky texture giving us a new flavor profile to experiment with.
The Einkorn Cookbook: Discover the World’s Purest and Most Ancient Form of Wheat
By Shanna and Tim Mallon
The Einkorn Cookbook has 100 recipes that include breakfast, appetizers, breads, main dishes, and desserts, as well as cooking tips, a glossary and a resource guide. The grain can be ordered online or you may be able to find it at Whole Foods. Authors Shanna and Tim Mallon have a food blog called FoodLovesWriting.com, which also has recipes to explore.
Some recipes that may tempt you are: Decadent Chocolate Chip Belgian Waffles; One Bowl Butter Bread; Acorn Squash and Caramelized Onion Salad; Lamb Stuffed Peppers; and Fruit and Jam Tart on Maple Shortbread Crust. Here is a new healthy pancake recipe to try:
Whole-Grain Overnight Pancakes
It took some trial and error to come up with these whole-grain einkorn pancakes, which we can now say with confidence turn out perfectly every time—fluffy and light, each one as big as a plate. We like using freshly ground einkorn flour here (although you could certainly swap in a packaged version) because pancakes particularly showcase freshly ground einkorn’s natural nutty flavor and light crumb.
Yield: 12 to 15 large pancakes
2 cups (220 g) whole, freshly ground einkorn flour
1 tablespoon (13 g) coconut sugar or Sucanat
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons (57 g) butter or coconut oil, melted, divided
3 pastured eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup (60 ml) kefir or yogurt
1 cup (235 ml) whole milk
Toppings, as desired
Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine 3 tablespoons (42 g) melted butter with eggs, vanilla, kefir, and milk; mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, pull the pancake batter out of the fridge and give it a good stir. If you prefer thinner pancakes, add a little more milk to get the consistency you like. Heat remaining oil or butter in a large skillet and once it’s hot, ladle batter into the pan. When bubbles form on the top, flip the pancakes to cook the other side. Finished pancakes may be placed in a warm oven (i.e., your oven’s lowest setting) while cooking the rest.
Top with real maple syrup, butter, fruit, or whatever topping you like best.
Reprinted with permission from Fair Winds Press (2014).
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