Spelt is a "poor" and rural product characterizing Garfagnana and Lunigiana for over two thousand years. The hook-shaped spikes and its tough grains make it suitable also for the hilly and mountain areas, easy to preserve and transport. It is used to prepare delicious soups, savory pies, salads, and polenta. At the moment, in Garfagnana there are 100 agricultural holdings covering an area of about 100 hectares, producing an average of 200 annual tons of hulled spelt. For the importance of its production, Garfagnana Spelt has obtained the PGI label.
Garfagnana Spelt has been rediscovered for its excellent nutritional properties and because its fibers have a beneficial action for the digestive apparatus. This cereal is rich in starch, and therefore particularly suitable to prepare savory pies, but in the kitchen it is mainly used as an ingredient for soups: together with beans and vegetables, it offers a simple dish with particular tastes and perfumes. Ideal for salads and risotti (called "farrotti") with king boletes. It matches well with red wine. The polished spelt grains can also be milled for other purposes (pasta, bread, biscuits, etc.).
