What's this
Broken spelled is a cereal-based food. It looks like a medium thickness grain, vaguely resembling the bulgur but darker and coarser. It is light brown in color, basically amber in color, and has a typically vitreous appearance.
The broken spelled belongs to the III fundamental group of foods; it is rich in carbohydrates but poor in water - a characteristic that makes it very energetic raw - it contains dietary fiber, medium biological value proteins, specific vitamins and minerals. It is suitable for most diets with few exceptions, such as the diet for celiac disease. Boiled absorbs at least 100% of its weight in water, doubling in volume.
The most suitable cooking techniques for broken spelled are for drowning - boiling in water - or for "risottatura" - improper wording attributed to the preparation of risottos. In the latter case, the spelled broken yields up to 300-400% of the initial weight. Some complete the boiling with the pan-leap. It does not require preliminary soaking.
Broken spelled fits perfectly with all the typical foods of the Mediterranean diet - condiments, vegetables, meat - fresh and preserved - and offal, fishery products, eggs and cheeses. Typical spelled-based recipes are more or less the same as those used for using whole spelled; however, using the broken spelled you can enjoy greater ease in cooking.
It is produced by breaking - in 3 or 4 parts - and sifting - to the screening machine - the whole seeds of the great spelled or spelled spelled (Genre Triticum Specie spelta ). For this reason, the name "spelled broken", although not entirely incorrect, should be replaced by the more pertinent "spelled broken".
Did you know that ...
By integral we mean the private grain of the glumelle or bracts - jargonly known as husk, chaff or slag - but still provided with the aleuronic layer - and, possibly, also of the germ.
Nutritional Properties
Nutritional properties of broken spelled
Broken spelled is a product that belongs to the III fundamental group of foods.
Rich in carbohydrates and poor in water, it has a very high energy intake. Dehydration is an essential factor in increasing the conservation of all cereals - and starchy seeds in general, including legumes - but significantly increases the nutritional density of the food in question. The cooking determines a rehydration of the broken spelled, increasing the water content to obtain a volume of 200-300% compared to the initial. Compared to the dry raw one, cooking determines a caloric reduction of the broken spelled which decreases the total calories up to half or even 1/3.
The broken spelled also contains a fair percentage of protein and a very small amount of lipids that impact relatively on the total caloric intake. Peptides have a medium biological value, that is they do not contain all the essential amino acids in the right proportions and quantities. The limiting or deficient amino acids are lysine and tryptophan; on the contrary, broken spelled is rich in methionine, limiting instead in several legumes. The fatty acids have an unsaturated prevalence, with a good percentage of the polynature chains - which increases proportionally to the seed quantity of the seeds.
The fibers, abundant because the seeds are integral, participate in increasing the water absorption capacity during cooking. This food is free of cholesterol, lactose and histamine. Instead, gluten is present. The level of purines is considered moderate.
From the vitaminic point of view, the broken spelled shows a good quantity of water-soluble molecules of group B; especially niacin (vit PP), thiamine (vit B1), pyridoxine (vit B6) and folic acid - the latter, however, is largely degraded by cooking.
With regard to mineral salts, the percentages of phosphorus, iron - even if slightly bioavailable - and zinc are especially noticeable.
Diet
Spelled broken in the diet
Broken spelled is a food that lends itself to the diet of healthy subjects. In excessive quantities it is however contraindicated in overweight - especially in obesity - in type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertriglyceridemia. On the other hand, being whole, it is more suitable for refined grains to the low-calorie slimming diet.
Associated or alternated with protein sources of high or medium biological value - in the latter case, as long as they contain satisfactory amounts of lysine and tryptophan - the broken spelled helps to satisfy the general protein requirement. Lipids, although lacking, still have a neutral or positive impact on the nutritional balance.
The abundance of broken spelled fibers makes it ideal for the diet against constipation, as long as you take the right amount of water. These also modulate nutritional absorption, reducing cholesterol uptake and the reabsorption of bile salts - acting positively on cholesterolemia - and slowing the absorption of carbohydrates - acting positively on the insulin-glycemic curve. The fibers are also a nourishment for the intestinal bacterial flora, acting as a prebiotic.
Group B vitamins mainly have a coenzyme function, which is why it is possible to say that broken spelled contributes to supporting various cellular functions. However, the abundant iron is not very bioavailable and this means that it is not completely absorbed. It is advisable to associate spelled with nutritional sources of vitamin C, which can improve this process. Phosphorus is an essential constituent of hydroxyapatite - a mineral of bone tissue - and phospholipids, particularly abundant in cell membranes and even more so in nervous tissue. Zinc has many functions, including that of a powerful antioxidant.
The presence of gluten makes spelled broken a food unsuitable for the diet against celiac disease. It also contains proteins that react negatively to wheat allergy sufferers. Instead, it is suitable for the diet of lactose intolerant and histamine. It is also allowed in the diet for gout or hyperuricemia.
It has no contraindications for vegans, vegetarians and is not prohibited by any religion or philosophical current. It is also considered a macrobiotic food.
The average portion of broken spelled is 80 g (about 270 kcal).
Kitchen
How do you cook broken spelled?
Broken spelled is an ingredient for pasta dishes. It has more or less the same applications as whole spelled, although it is more suitable for preparing semi-liquid or creamy recipes, rather than dry ones.
In practice, while whole spelled is almost always boiled and eaten naturally or sautéed quickly, broken spelled is ideal for semolina, dense soups similar to risottos, mixed stews with legumes, vegetables, other seeds, etc.
Note : whole wholemeal spelled does not lend itself particularly to risottos since, being coated by the aleuronic layer, it tends to release little starch - necessary for whipping - and requires long cooking times.
It is interesting to note that the broken spelled does not require preliminary soaking instead necessary for the whole spelled. This characteristic is causing many recipes that were once based on whole seeds, today we have broken spelled as the main ingredient.
Some recipes based on spelled broken are: spoon soup of broken spelled, risotto of spelled broken, spelled stir-fried, fried / baked (breaded) spelled, spiced burger, etc.
This ingredient, being almost as delicate as wheat from an organoleptic and gustatory point of view, fits perfectly with any kind of bread. As a condiment fat, extra virgin olive oil is preferable, while aromatic herbs and spices in general can be indulged: rosemary, oregano, bay leaves, sage, wild fennel, dill, tarragon, red pepper, black pepper, saffron, turmeric, curry etc. It can be associated with meat - fresh and preserved - offal, fishery products, eggs, cheeses, other cereals, legumes, vegetables and vegetables, potatoes and even fruits of any kind.
