Archive for February, 2011

I’ve had a package of einkorn flour in my refrigerator for a month or so and on Friday finally got around to using it to make bread. I know that einkorn isn’t an everyday household item, at least not for the past 3,000 or so years. For our distant ancestors, even as late as biblical times, einkorn was a vital element of agriculture.
Einkorn means “one-seed”, as the spikelets of this wheat typically contain a single floret and produce one grain each. Einkorn (Triticum monococcum) is a simple diploid (14 chromosomes in two sets – modern wheat has 42 chromosomes) with small bearded ears, resembling 2-rowed barley. An einkorn stalk bears two to three spikelets, each usually producing a single grain. Besides a low yield, einkorn is ‘hulled’ wheat, meaning that the glumes tightly hold the grains in the spikelets, making threshing extremely difficult. After threshing, the grains must be roasted or pounded to loosen the husks, which not only requires much labor, but in the process breaks the grain, making it less suited for long term storage. In addition, einkorn spiklets ripen and fall from these wild plants at different times to better disperse the seeds, a type of wheat called ‘shattering.’ As a result, seeds break off from the plant before and during the harvest and are lost. This grass can still be found growing wild in many parts of the Fertile Crescent.
Following the Younger Dryas period and the cooling and drying of the Middle Eastern climate, einkorn was cultivated, the only diploid species to be so. The cultivation of grains originated along the Euphrates River in the late Neolithic period, as early humans ceased his nomadic ways to raise crops and ensure a steady supply of beer, marking the very inception of civilization. In that vein, all of the earliest records of writing have to do with grain transactions. Eventually, people discovered that they could thresh grain without roasting by beating the wheat with sticks (Judges 6:11), then by having oxen repeatedly trod over the stalks (Deuteronomy 25:4), all of these methods generally resulting in most of the grains being broken. Later, a threshing sledge (tribulum), a large board with spikes on the underside, was pulled over the stalks by oxen (Isaiah 41:15, Amos 1:3). Thus the discovery of numerous threshing floors and sledges, needed for processing hulled wheat, in archeological sites of that time.
The earliest evidence of humans using wild einkorn was at Pre Pottery Neolithic B remains at Tell Abu Hureyra (currently in northern Syria). Einkorn cultivation emerged in the Levant in the Neolithic period before spreading to Europe. (Einkorn bread was found in the stomach of the frozen mummy, Otzi the Iceman, dating back to 2,200 BCE and found frozen in ice in the Alps in 1991.) The earliest levels at digs in Jericho contain carbonized seeds of einkorn, emmer, and two-rowed barley, although archeologists have yet to pinpoint which was the first domesticated cereal. They could have been initially planted within decades of each other and perhaps by the same group of primordial farmers. Early on people began to select the seeds of primitive grains with the best qualities for propagating. The domesticated subspecies became non-shattering, requiring force to remove the spikelets, and produced slightly larger seeds than the wild forms, but remained hulled. As one of the seven founder crops, einkorn ranked nearly with barley and emmer in significance to many early farmers in the Middle East and especially Europe. It was, however, absent from Egypt. Einkorn was particularly prevalent in areas with poor soil and cooler climates, where other grains would not grow.
The advent of the iron plow in the Near East around 2500 BCE allowed for deeper plowing and a revolution in agriculture. A continuous surplus of the desirable wheat spurred international trade as well as invasions and the rise of great empires. Einkorn’s importance gradually waned during the Bronze Age, as emmer and durum wheat breads gained popularity. Still, it was occasionally grown by some farmers in Israel as late as the Talmudic period.
Einkorn kernels tend to be somewhat bitter and possess a smaller amount of gluten than bread wheat and emmer. (Some people who are intolerant of the hybridized gluten in bread wheat can deal with the simpler einkorn.) I obtained the einkorn flour from Elisheva Rogosa, an organic farmer and artisan baker (see fedcoseeds.com and growseed.org). Fortunately, the einkorn came in flour form, I could only imagine the difficulty in grinding it. Imagine the hours spent by women in the ancient world as they daily spent hours at the grindstone to obtain bread for their families. Still freshly-ground grains retain more nutrition and have a better flavor.
Einkorn flour is tan in color and produces a light brown loaf. I made the dough without any oil, eggs, or sweeteners (except a pinch of sugar to help the active dry yeast), in order to taste the pure essence of the grain and to witness its nature without interference. I did add a little salt, which serves as a flavor enhancer and helps to control the yeast.
The dough was very sticky, much more so than bread wheat and emmer. I relied on a bench knife (dough scraper) to help knead it. (Next time, I’ll use a food processor.) I opted to attempt a single loaf to compare the results to bread wheat (although next time, I want to try flatbreads to be more authentic, or maybe pitas or pancakes). Having much less gluten than modern bread flour, einkorn does not rise as high. The dough only rose about 30% (as opposed to double the size for bread wheat). It is certainly not light and mild like an egg challah. Yet it was lighter in texture than I imagined it and actually yielded respectable bread. Having read from other sources over the years how einkorn did not produce good bread, I was surprised at just how good it was. (Remember much of what we think about food is wrong.) The texture of my einkorn bread was somewhat dense and crumbly and a bit dry. (A little oil and perhaps some honey might help with that.) The flavor was somewhat nutty (the dough even smelled nutty) with a pronounced tanginess (although not unpleasant). On Sunday, I sliced the leftovers for a tuna sandwich, which may have been an historical first. The slices held together and the sour flavor of the bread held up well with the tuna.
I could see why emmer -– higher yielding, higher rising, and milder tasting than einkorn -– became the preferred wheat of the ancient Middle East. Still, I enjoyed the dietary variety that the einkorn contributed.

Einkorn Bread
(1 medium loaf about 24 ounces)
2 teaspoons active-dry yeast
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (105 to 115 degrees (40 to 46 C)
1 teaspoon honey or sugar
1 teaspoon salt
About 3 cups einkorn flour (12 ounces/340 grams)

1. To make the dough: Dissolve the yeast in ¼ cup water. Stir in 1 teaspoon honey and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the remaining water, salt, and 2 cups flour. Gradually add enough remaining flour until the mixture holds together.
2. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours.
3. Punch down the dough, knead briefly, divide in half, and form into a ball. Place, seam side down, on a parchment paper-lined or greased large baking sheet or in a greased 8-inch round baking pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let rise until nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
4. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 C).
5. With a sharp knife, slit an X in the top. Bake until the bread is golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

I was recently asked why I don’t have a cooking show. I never had my big break. I’ve been on various television shows in the past. A few years ago, when I was still editor of Kosher Gourmet magazine, I appeared on People Are Talking, a local show out of Hoboken, NJ. I remember they had a great green room, loaded with a wide variety of fresh pastries supplied by a local baker. (On the contrary, I was incredibly disappointed upon my first visit to the Food Network’s sparse green room.) I had prepared a few dishes beforehand to show and also prepared a dish on air. At the end of my performance, the host, named Renee, kissed me and invited me to come back anytime. She then apologized for her enthusiasm and explained that on the previous day, a local Italian chef had been her guest and he froze on air in a horrendously awkward segment. When Renee first laid eyes on me, she worried that I would do a repeat. However, “I was a natural.” Renee expounded that I talk so quickly, there’s never any dead time. Unfortunately, the following week, Renee was fired and her co-host promoted to sole host. (The co-host, who subsequently refused to give me a tape of my appearance, went on to turn the show into a trash talk show, the forerunner of Jerry Springer.) So much for my break!
After my first book, The World of Jewish Cooking, was published, I made my first of three appearances on the Food Network, all on a show hosted by Donna Hanover, then Mayor Giuliani’s wife. (This was when the network actually featured cooking, and not competitions and entertainment.) On the first occurrence, I made an Indian Rosh Hashanah curried carrot dish sweetened with bananas and raisins. When I added the oil to the heated pot, a huge blast of smoke came up. I figured I had embarrassed myself on live national television. Afterwards, however, the crew rushed over and congratulated me on my fantastic effects. The producer thought I had done a wonderful job and pondered the idea of my doing some sort of program. Later, I was informed that Jewish food was too narrow a niche for broadcasting.
On one occasion, an acquaintance who worked in sales for a New England television network asked to shoot a pilot of a cooking show featuring me. We filmed in a kitchen store, with no running water on the set and awkward conditions. His wife had second thoughts and he left me with the bills and an unusable video.
Besides television, I almost made it to the movies. My friend Stanley is an actor, whose agent asked him if he knew any rabbis. Stanley gave them my name. It seems that the producers of the successful movie Analyze This were planning a sequel, Analyze That, in which the father of the character played by Billy Crystal, dies, and they needed someone to supervise a Jewish burial scene. When I met with the powers-that-be, they asked if I would also be interested in appearing in the film as the rabbi performing the ceremony. They shot a Polaroid of me and informed me that they could arrange my SAG card. Well, it was not meant to be – either my role or SAG membership. The scene was changed and I was no longer needed. The movie did not do well, anyway. It was certainly no Godfather II.
More recently, I was interviewed and filmed for a PBS series, The Jewish Americans, on Jewish food. I spent an afternoon in the producer’s apartment making various traditional dishes and setting it up, then they shot my discussion. My scenes did not make it to PBS broadcasts, only included in a DVD and the outtakes section of the website. If you would like to view my outtakes from The Jewish Americans, go to: http://www.pbs.org/jewishamericans/watch/outtakes.html and click on the kasha box at the bottom. Enjoy!
I seem to end up on the cutting room floor. That’s show biz!
I was recently asked why I don’t have a cooking show. I never had my big break. I’ve been on various television shows in the past. A few years ago, when I was still editor of Kosher Gourmet magazine, I appeared on People Are Talking, a local show out of Hoboken, NJ. I remember they had a great green room, loaded with a wide variety of fresh pastries supplied by a local baker. (On the contrary, I was incredibly disappointed upon my first visit to the Food Network’s sparse green room.) I had prepared a few dishes beforehand to show and also prepared a dish on air. At the end of my performance, the host, named Renee, kissed me and invited me to come back anytime. She then apologized for her enthusiasm and explained that on the previous day, a local Italian chef had been her guest and he froze on air in a horrendously awkward segment. When Renee first laid eyes on me, she worried that I would do a repeat. However, “I was a natural.” Renee expounded that I talk so quickly, there’s never any dead time. Unfortunately, the following week, Renee was fired and her co-host promoted to sole host. (The co-host, who subsequently refused to give me a tape of my appearance, went on to turn the show into a trash talk show, the forerunner of Jerry Springer.) So much for my break!
After my first book, The World of Jewish Cooking, was published, I made my first of three appearances on the Food Network, all on a show hosted by Donna Hanover, then Mayor Giuliani’s wife. (This was when the network actually featured cooking, and not competitions and entertainment.) On the first occurrence, I made an Indian Rosh Hashanah curried carrot dish sweetened with bananas and raisins. When I added the oil to the heated pot, a huge blast of smoke came up. I figured I had embarrassed myself on live national television. Afterwards, however, the crew rushed over and congratulated me on my fantastic effects. The producer thought I had done a wonderful job and pondered the idea of my doing some sort of program. Later, I was informed that Jewish food was too narrow a niche for broadcasting.
On one occasion, an acquaintance who worked in sales for a New England television network asked to shoot a pilot of a cooking show featuring me. We filmed in a kitchen store, with no running water on the set and awkward conditions. His wife had second thoughts and he left me with the bills and an unusable video.
Besides television, I almost made it to the movies. My friend Stanley is an actor, whose agent asked him if he knew any rabbis. Stanley gave them my name. It seems that the producers of the successful movie Analyze This were planning a sequel, Analyze That, in which the father of the character played by Billy Crystal, dies, and they needed someone to supervise a Jewish burial scene. When I met with the powers-that-be, they asked if I would also be interested in appearing in the film as the rabbi performing the ceremony. They shot a Polaroid of me and informed me that they could arrange my SAG card. Well, it was not meant to be – either my role or SAG membership. The scene was changed and I was no longer needed. The movie did not do well, anyway. It was certainly no Godfather II.
More recently, I was interviewed and filmed for a PBS series, The Jewish Americans, on Jewish food. I spent an afternoon in the producer’s apartment making various traditional dishes and setting it up, then they shot my discussion. My scenes did not make it to PBS broadcasts, only included in a DVD and the outtakes section of the website. If you would like to view my outtakes from The Jewish Americans, go to: http://www.pbs.org/jewishamericans/watch/outtakes.html and click on the kasha box at the bottom. Enjoy!
I seem to end up on the cutting room floor. That’s show biz!