EINKORN WHOLEMEAL FLOUR

This month’s favourite comes from a conversation with one of our Italian customers, who shared a simple way he uses einkorn flour at home. Einkorn is one of the oldest grains still in use today, grown in much the same way for thousands of years. It hasn’t been heavily modified like modern wheat, which is why many people find it easier to work with and to digest.

What stood out to me was how straightforward his approach is. No yeast, no waiting around, just a quick dough and into the oven. It is a nice reminder that good food can be simple, and that sometimes the best ideas come from how people cook in their own kitchens.

​Here is his recipe for an easy, everyday pizza.

I've discovered that pizza can easily be made without using yeast. Just make the dough like you would for soda bread! I suggest to use wholemeal flour, which makes pizza very digestible (try it out, you won't believe it!) Pizza base made out of wholemeal flour tends to break, though, because of fibres, but here's the trick: Einkorn flour! This ancient grain makes for a pretty soft base, despite being fully wholemeal, because of its fantastic properties, which have been (luckily!) left untouched by humankind for millennia (among which is being well tolerated by people with gluten sensitivity).
 
The recipe is very simple, and it takes just 30 minutes:

1. make the dough like soda bread (I use bread soda and some lemon juice, if I don't have buttermilk at hand - for reference, 1 bread soda teaspoon is enough for half a kg flour, so don't use too much)
2. make the base, thin is better (it will raise a bit while properly cooking inside) - you can just press the dough with your fingers from the centre towards the edge, while rotating the dough, no tools needed and it's fun!
3. add toppings as tou wish (don't forget a bit of extra-virgin olive oil, that's the Italian touch!)
4. for added flavour, sprinkle with thyme
5. cook 15 minutes at 220°C

 
If you want to add mozzarella cheese (buffalo mozzarella is best, like our excellent Italian buffalo mozzarella from Sora), add it halfway through cooking, so it melts without burning (open the oven, carefully pull out the tray halfway with oven gloves, quickly add mozzarella pieces, push the tray back)
 
That's it! Simple, healthy, and so quick to make and digestible you can have it at lunch any day!

Review and recipe by Gianni