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Russello, pane e cioccolata: Sicilian wheat back on the table

Last week it turned, unexpectedly, into the Grano Russello week for me.
Russello, or better Russieddu in Sicilian, is a Sicilian kind of wheat which became quite rare over the years, as farmers turned to other kind of wheat which were easier to produce and gave higher yields.

I started with the fantastic creation of my friends at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, who prepared special sweets for an event which took place in Modica Alta, using Russello wheat. They made a fantastic version of Modica chocolate with Russello crunchy grains in it, a cream of crushed Russello and chocolate (similar to the old style "cuturru") topped with a fresh ricotta cream, and, my favorite, Russello wheat 'mpagniuccata (in the picture). Everything was so delicious that I am only hoping they will start producing some of these specialties on a regular basis.

Then I had the chance to taste home-made bread prepared with organic Russello wheat flour and baked in a traditional oven. This was a taste of what bread used to be like when I was a child and my grandmother Marietta, in Ispica, made it for us.

Finally, I made a a saracen wheat (blé noir wheat) and Rusello wheat warm salad with shrimps, zucchini, lemon zest and San Basilio Riserva Ex.V Olive oil. A perfect summer healthy dish.

Written on
June 22, 2011
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