L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 28 L'Italo-Americano LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE TRADITIONS T h e h i s t o r y o f c e r e a l s g o e s h a n d i n h a n d w i t h t h a t o f H u m a n k i n d , e s p e c i a l l y h e r e , i n t h e M e d i t e r r a n e a n b a s i n , where they have always been p a r t o f o u r f o o d t r i a d . Along with olives and the v i n e , a n d t h e p r o d u c t s they'd give us - bread, olive oil and wine - cereals have been true staples of Mediter- r a n e a n c u l i n a r y c u l t u r e s i n c e t i m e i m m e m o r a b l e and they contributed to the very development of our civ- ilization. If today wheat and corn are the most cultivated cere- a l s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d , w e s h o u l d n ' t f o r g e t t h a t i t hasn't always been so. More- over, in some parts of Italy rediscovering ancient crops has become a way to main- tain local heritage alive, as w e l l a s a v e r y s u c c e s s f u l form of revenue. Enters farro, spelt, pos- sibly the oldest grain ever grown by Man. Its earliest t r a c e s g o b a c k t o Mesopotamia, some 7,000 y e a r s b e f o r e C h r i s t w a s born. It was a diet staple for the Assyrians, the Egyptians, and also in the Italian penin- sula, where it was known already in the Bronze Age, as proven by the fact archaeol- ogists found spelt seeds in t h e c l o t h i n g o f Ö t z i , t h e mummy of the Similaun. Our most notable forefa- thers the Romans simply adored it and made it one of their most important crops, which they grew across the empire. Spelt wasn't only common on their tables, but also considered a lucky food, symbol of wealth and fertili- ty, so much so it was a typi- cal gift for newlyweds. It was so essential for the Romans that it was part of soldiers' rations, too. I n t h e M i d d l e A g e s , however, the popularity of spelt waned, in part because p e o p l e b e g a n p r e f e r r i n g wheat, but also because spelt wasn't an easy cereal to grow a n d i t y i e l d e d v e r y l i t t l e when compared to other cul- tivations. And so, little by little, farro became a bit of an outcast substituted by higher-yielding wheat. And it remained so until recently when a renewed interest in healthy eating and ancient grains revived its consump- tion. There is a place in Italy, however, where spelt never lost its allure, Garfagnana. E v e n i n M e d i e v a l t i m e s , when wheat was taking over e v e r y w h e r e e l s e , s p e l t remained a key ingredient - and crop - in this beautiful part of the Lucca province of Tuscany. In Garfagnana, spelt never went out of fash- ion, so much so that, thanks to the Comunità Montana della Garfagnana (the local c o n s o r t i u m o f r u r a l a n d mountain communities), it was awarded, in 1996, a PGI denomination (protected geographical indication), which means Garfagnana spelt is protected by EU law. Like all varieties of spelt, farro from Garfagnana is a resilient cereal that can grow easily even on difficult, poor of nutrients soil. It is grown b e t w e e n 3 0 0 a n d 1 , 0 0 0 meters of altitude (roughly between 1,000 and 3,200 ft), in an area between the Apuan Alps and the Tuscan- E m i l i a n A p p e n n i n e . N o chemicals nor pesticides are allowed: farro della Garfag- nana is as natural as it gets. But Garfagnana spelt is not only unique for its geo- graphical denomination and t h e n a t u r a l , t r a d i t i o n a l methods used to grow it but also because of specific mor- phologic and organoleptic characteristics: for instance, its grain is larger than other varieties and it cooks better - read: it stays "al dente" more easily. It is also rich in vita- mins, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and f i b e r s , w h i c h m a k e s i t a t once nutritious and light. An ancient grain, grown in a sliver of beautiful land without the use of any chem- ical: doesn't it feel like step- ping back in time? And the feeling only gets stronger if you consider that Garfag- n a n a s p e l t i s d i s t r i b u t e d only by a handful of local family-run businesses, rea- son for which it is consid- ered a true symbol of the area. Because it has been at the heart of the culinary and agricultural history of the r e g i o n f o r s o m a n y c e n - turies, farro della Garfag- nana is a common ingredi- ent in many local dishes, f r o m s o u p s t o b a k e d desserts and bread. Mines- tra di farro, spelt soup, is one of Garfagnana's most t r a d i t i o n a l d i s h e s , m a d e with - of course - local spelt and potatoes, beans, lard, onion, carrots, and celery. This delicious cereal can be used for lovely salads, as w e l l a s a n i n g r e d i e n t t o make quiches and savory cakes, or risotto-like dishes. It can also become an ingre- dient in many desserts: with i t s f l o u r , y o u c a n m a k e scrumptious muffins and pancakes, but you can use it a s i t i s , t o o , c o o k e d a n d mixed with ricotta, sugar, pinenuts, eggs, and raisins to make the filling of whole- some, comforting pies. Per- h a p s , h o w e v e r , t h e m o s t iconic thing made with farro della Garfagnana is pane g a r f a g n a n i n o , w h i c h counts spelt flour and pota- toes as its main ingredients. In 2010, the fifty Garfag- nana farmers who produce G a r f a g n a n a s p e l t j o i n e d forces and created the Con- sorzio Tutela Farro IGP d e l l a G a r f a g n a n a : i t s aim is not only that of ensur- ing spelt is grown following IGP regulations and local agricultural traditions but also of protecting its authen- ticity on the national and international market. A traditional grain to rediscover, the farro della Garfagnana CHIARA D'ALESSIO Spelt, tomatoes, garlic, onions … just some of the ingredients for a good spelt soup, Garfagnana style (Photo: Luisa Vallon Fumi/Dreamstime) A loaf of spelt bread, which is traditional in Garfagnana (Photo: Dimitrovavalentina/Dreamstime)

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