Milling spelt into flour alters its composition and nutritional profile compared to whole grain spelt. Here are the nutritional benefits and considerations of using spelt flour:

Nutritional Benefits of Spelt Flour:

1. High in Protein: Spelt flour retains a significant amount of protein from the whole grain, making it a good source for those looking to increase their protein intake. It contains around 10-15% protein, which is higher than many other grains.
2. Rich in Fiber: While not as high in fiber as whole grain spelt, spelt flour still contains a decent amount of dietary fiber. It helps promote digestive health and can aid in managing blood sugar levels.
3. Vitamins and Minerals: Spelt flour retains some of the essential vitamins and minerals found in whole grain spelt, including B vitamins (such as niacin and thiamine) and minerals like manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium. These nutrients play important roles in energy metabolism, bone health, and overall cellular function.
4. Lower Gluten Content: Although not gluten-free, spelt flour has a lower gluten content compared to modern wheat varieties. Some individuals with mild gluten sensitivities may find spelt easier to digest, but it is not suitable for those with celiac disease.
5. Rich Flavor: Spelt flour has a nutty and slightly sweet flavor profile, which can enhance the taste of baked goods and other recipes.

Considerations When Using Spelt Flour:

1. Processing: Shelf-stable spelt flour has the bran and germ removed, which are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This results in a loss of nutritional benefits compared to milling your own whole grain spelt flour.
2. Gluten Sensitivity: While spelt has a different gluten structure compared to wheat, it still contains gluten and is not suitable for individuals with celiac disease.
3. Baking Characteristics: Spelt flour behaves differently in baking compared to traditional wheat flour. It has less elasticity and may require adjustments in recipes, such as the amount of liquid.

Ways to Incorporate Spelt Flour:

• Baking: Use spelt flour in place of or in combination with wheat flour in baking recipes like bread, muffins, pancakes, and cookies.
• Cooking: Spelt flour can be used to thicken sauces, soups, and stews due to its binding properties.
• Alternative Products: Make your own spelt-based pasta, crackers, and cereals for variety in your diet.

In a Nutshell:

Milling spelt into flour preserves many of its nutritional benefits, including protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. It offers a flavorful alternative to traditional wheat flour and can be a valuable addition to a balanced diet. Additionally, it’s essential to remember that using whole grain spelt retains more of its fiber and nutrients compared to spelt flour from the store. Why not try milling some whole grain spelt flour, incorporating this ancient grain into your meals for a diverse and nutritious diet?

Last August, my sister visited and I prepared whole-grain tortellini, accompanied by balsamic roasted tomato soup I’d preserved from summer. She enjoyed it thoroughly! Then we made freshly milled whole grain bread spelt bread together that was super soft. I enjoyed the moments of surprise at how good it truly could be. Good times awakening the palate and minds of people we love!

My sister raved over the tortellini with my oven roasted balsamic tomato soup, exclaiming I could charge $50 for the meal. We split a pint jar of the soup between us, and I’m pretty sure we each only had 4-6 tortellini. Unconvinced, I told her I thought she was pulling my leg. She INSISTED they were THAT GOOD so I’m sharing the goods with you today.

I recently I recently showed some friends how to make Naan bread and whole wheat tortellini using an Einkhorn-based recipe. Carla Bartolucci’s book ‘Einkhorn’ led me to eventually milling our flour. This healthy tortellini recipe is a spin-off in honor of her.

One day I’ll share the story of how my youngest child went from bloody eczema to smooth, normal skin with fresh milled flour. Every day I thank God for putting me on the difficult path that eventually leads us to better things. I know He put me on this path so I could share with you, and change many more lives with freshly milled whole grain flour.

How to Make Healthy Tortellini

This healthy tortellini recipe is quick and easy, and a load of fun to make with friends or family. Just mix up the dough by hand or with a danish dough whisk, and let it rest covered while you mix the spinach tortellini filling.

Rolling these out requires no special equipment other than a rolling pin. Everyone always asks what kinds of things I use, and my favorite is this wooden french rolling pin. Don’t worry! I have photos and a video showing how to roll up whole grain tortellini, which can be made with freshly milled Durum or Kamut.

Did I mention you can freeze these little nuggets of goodness? That’s right! If I were you, I’d double the batch of healthy tortellini dough, so you can have some fresh and plenty to freeze on a tray, before piling them up in a ziplock or silicone freezer bag for when you want to drop them into a healthy tortellini soup, salad or other healthy recipes.

If pasta isn’t your thing, how about trying my big-holed, authentic Italian bread. Made with freshly milled flour and no additives, it’s going to knock your socks off! Another fun, and ridiculously quick and easy win is my crescent roll dough with fresh milled flour, of course.

100% whole grain fresh milled tortellini

How to make freshly milled tortellini at home – quick and easy!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: fresh milled flour, pasta, tortellini

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes

Rolling Tortellini: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 22 minutes minutes

Servings: 25

Calories: 100kcal

Author: Just Mill It

Cost: 7.00

Equipment

• 1 Rolling Pin

Ingredients

Dough Ingredients

• 375 g wheat berries, soft white I used durum but Kamut, Emmer or hard wheat will work just as well.
• 5 whole egg Vegans: you can replace with 250 g very hot water, and add a tiny bit of olive oil if the dough needs help

Filling Ingredients

• 150 g swiss chard or spinach chopped fine, or precooked and dried
• 1 whole egg vegans can leave this out or add 2 tbsp mashed potatoes
• 420 g ricotta cheese vegans can use vegan cheese of choice or leave it out
• 125 g pecorino romano or dry cheese of your choice
• 1 tsp sea salt, celtic grey

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Instructions

Make the Pasta Dough

• Mix the flour with the salt.
• Add eggs to a well in the center of the flour, and mix until well combined with a spatula or your hands.
• Let rest 10-15 minutes, covered so it doesn't dry out
  

Make the Filling

• Mix the ricotta, egg, and spinach or chard until well combined.

Making the Tortellini

• Roll the dough very thin on a floured surface, dusting the dough with flour as needed so the rolling pin does not stick. Note: the pasta will swell up and become thicker once cooked, so go thinner than you'd think.
  
• Cut the dough into squares, approximately 2.5 – 3" across.
  
• Brush the square with water using a pastry brush.
  
• Place 1 tsp of filling into the center of the square. Do not overfill, or it will escape when you cook them.
  
• Bring opposite corners together to form a triangle and seal the edges with your fingers
  
• Roll the longer end of the triangle over, towards the point of the triangle. Wrap the two pointed sides around your finger and seal them together.
• Set the tortellini on a tray not touching each other so they can dry as you make the rest.
  

Cooking and Storing

• Cook the tortellini for a minute or two in salted, boiling water and remove with a slotted spoon.
• You may freeze the tortellini uncooked, individually on a tray, and then together in a bag once frozen so they don't stick together. Cook directly from frozen for a few minutes longer.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 4 g | Calories: 100 kcal (5%) | Carbohydrates: 12 g (4%) | Protein: 6 g (12%) | Fat: 4 g (6%) | Saturated Fat: 2 g (13%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 15 mg (5%) | Sodium: 180 mg (8%) | Potassium: 45 mg (1%) | Fiber: 2 g (8%) | Sugar: 0.1 g | Vitamin A: 464 IU (9%) | Vitamin C: 2 mg (2%) | Calcium: 98 mg (10%) | Iron: 1 mg (6%)

I did not expect to love the freshly milled Italian Bread as much as I do. We are now out of hard wheat berries, so I’m making 100% spelt Italian bread today! Spelt is one of my all-time favorite grains because it’s a grain superhero! It works well in ANY of the grain categories, getting great results even though it counts as a soft grain.

I really hope you enjoy the distinct flavor change that comes from using fresh milled spelt grain instead of hard white wheat. You know it’s great because we are eating the remaining half of the loaf and it has barely cooled.

Can I make 100% Spelt Italian Bread without the Vital Wheat Gluten?

Absolutely! When I first perfected my rustic, crusty Italian bread with fresh milled flour, I didn’t think I could do it without the vwg (vital wheat gluten). I couldn’t have been more wrong! To make this SAME recipe without the vwg:

• Make yudane by boiling some water. Put 25 grams of your spelt flour into a small container on your scale. Zero out the scale, then pour 50 grams of boiling water over the flour. Mix well.
• Use 380 grams of water instead of 420 grams.
• Add the yudane to the water in your recipe, and carry on.

Can I use my KitchenAid Mixer?

Absolutely! This recipe is higher hydration, so use the wire whisks and your mixer’s highest speed to mix the ingredients without the yeast. Once the dough climbs to the top of the whisks, it’s time to switch to your dough hook to finish by adding the yeast and kneading for a few minutes to incorporate (like, 2 minutes).

Can I Get Better Dough Structure?

You bet! After the first rise, do your stretch and folds, and let the dough rise the second time IN THE FRIDGE! The cold will help the dough have better structure. When you take the dough out of the fridge, you may gently shape it some more before transferring to the oven. Silicone bread slings help so much in being gentle with your dough – along with parchment paper.

100% Spelt Italian Bread, whole grain

Just Mill It

Makes: 1 loaf / 16 slicesPrep Time: 1 hour 25 minutes (mostly inactive)Bake Time: 50 minutesTotal Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

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Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Resting Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine French

Servings 16 slices

Calories 101 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 415 g grain, spelt
• 40 g vital wheat gluten
• 420 g water
• 11 g sea salt, celtic grey
• 11 g yeast (instant)
• 10 g barley malt syrup

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Instructions

 

• Mix together all ingredients EXCEPT THE YEAST for 5 minutes, in mixer or by hand. It will be wet and sticky!
• Sprinkle the yeast into the dough, and mix or knead for another 5 minutes. Your dough will be VERY WET.
• Transfer the dough into an oiled bowl with plenty of room to rise and a lid. Do one set of stretch and folds, as described in the next step.
• Stretch and folds: Stretch one side of the dough up, and fold it over onto the opposite side of the dough ball. Turn the bowl one-quarter. Repeat 3 more times.
• Every 30 minutes, do a set of stretch and folds (optional if using a mixer)
• After the 2nd set of stretch and folds, preheat your oven and your dutch oven, by setting the oven to 450 F.
• Once the oven gets to temperature, quickly remove the dutch oven and close the door.
• Sprinkle flour to line the bottom of your dutch oven, then gently place the dough into it, and sprinkle the top of the loaf with flour.
• Score the top of the loaf with a sharp knife, razor, or snip it with scissors
• Place the lid on your dutch oven, and put it into the oven for 30 minutes
• Remove the lid and lower the oven temperature to 400 F, baking for another 20 minutes
• Remove from the oven, and place on a cooling rack with air flow all around the loaf
• Allow to cool before slicing

Video

Notes

If you want to keep crunchy crust, store on the counter or in a paper bag once fully cooled.

Nutrition

Serving: 50gCalories: 101kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 6gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 271mgPotassium: 110mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 0.002mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg

Keyword bread

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