Have you ever heard of einkorn?  I hadn’t either!  I saw a pasta made from einkorn at the store the other day and decided to learn more about it.

Einkorn is an ancient grain.  In fact, it was first cultivated by man over 12,000 years ago!  It is called a “pure” grain because it has never been hybridized.  Einkorn still contains only two pairs of chromosomes vs. the six pairs in modern wheat.

Einkorn is high in protein, lutein, B vitamins and dietary fiber.  Einkorn has a lower gluten content than modern wheat and tends to be tolerated by people who have a sensitivity to modern wheat.  (Note: einkorn is NOT appropriate for anyone with Celiac disease).  Einkorn has a rich, nutty flavor and a chewier texture than modern wheat.  There is a pasta made from einkorn by a company called Jovial.   The Jovial website has  information that compares the nutritional content of  einkorn to that of traditional wheat.

I made some einkorn pasta and garnished with fresh veggies.  The reddish color of the pasta comes from the high lutein content in einkorn.  The texture was pleasantly chewy (but not grainy), and the pasta had a natural nutty flavor. I’m glad to report that Jovial einkorn pasta is delicious!  I’ll definitely be adding einkorn to my  repertoire of grains.