As one of the oldest types of grain, emmer, like spelled and einkorn, belongs to the wheat family. It is rich in both protein and minerals. The history of the Emmer, also called Zweikorn, goes back to well 3,000 years BC. BC back. For many millennia, emmer was one of the most important types of grain in Europe, but was then replaced by more productive types such as wheat or spelled.
Emmer is an excellent and digestible bread grain, which not only impresses with its digestibility, but also with its taste. Due to the low yields already mentioned, emmer is nowadays a rather difficult to establish culture with high risk and is cultivated more as a hobby.
I myself grind the emmer with my Alsatian hand mill (stone grinder) or, if it has to go quickly, with a powerful mixer. From the fresh grist I make a simple dough with water, salt and one to a maximum of three spices, depending on the taste of the day (I try beforehand). For me these are anise, caraway or coriander. Other (bread) spices are of course also possible, depending on your personal taste. The spices are simply crushed. From these ingredients I knead a simple bread dough and shape it into a flat cake. You can let it rise overnight in a fire-proof dish or bake it straight out. Alternatively, you can prepare the flatbread in a pan. A quick and easy bread, very digestible, tasty and no frills. As with normal sourdough, rising and souring also break down phytic acid. That corresponds to the ideal. Sometimes I also mix with other grains such as spelled, rye and / or einkorn. My daughter loves the crispy and juicy flat bread.