Homemade Spelt Bread.

• Spelt 'wheat' is different from modern wheat.
• Spelt is an ancient relative of modern wheat. It is called triticum speltum.

Spelt is an ancient grain it was grown by the Romans.

Spelt flour has 'complex' flavours and makes a delicious bread with a pleasant texture and slightly nut like flavour. Spelt contains more protein, fat and fibre than wheat. A loaf made with spelt flour has more flavour and bakes up into a loaf with a pleasant texture.

When baked to one of the Doves recipes it is called Roman Slipper bread - the Italian name for 'slipper bread' is ciabatta it is believed it was named this because it is shaped like a shoe. You can make any adjustments to the recipe when you make your second batch for example if you wish to increase the amount of salt used to your own taste.

Spelt flour is not gluten free because it is made from a type of wheat so is unsuitable for anyone on a wheat or gluten free diet. However spelt wheat is supposed to be easier to digest than bread made from ordinary wheat. If you need gluten free recipes I have added a useful link at the bottom of this page.

You may wonder where my interest came in making this bread and I must admit I was driven to it by being unable to eat modern shop bought bread. At first I tried to make a loaf to a rye sough dough recipe which seemed to take forever and had a time consuming texture when it came to eating it.

Once I discovered this spelt flour and the recipe (that I have given you the link for) the pleasure of eating bread returned and I could eat bread with my meals or use it to make toast which is a favourite snack especially when piled high with fruit compote.

I could just put the recipe here - but it belongs to the Doves flour company hence the link.

 A couple of points that might help when making the bread. Doves point out on their recipe pages that if your spelt loaf has risen to double its size after twenty mins. instead of thirty mins. proving it is best to bake it then and not leave it to sit around any longer. This is because spelt is different to modern flours.

You will find that the oil in this bread makes it easier to work with and also the mixing bowl etc. is not so 'sticky' to clean/wash up as modern white flour can be.

I usually knead/ work my bread for the roman bread recipe for about 3-5 mins. depending on time and my mood. It does not require multiple proving,kneading  as some bread recipes do. this makes it quicker to prepare.