2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 tablespoon white sugar
7 cups spelt flour
2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon salt

1. Stir yeast and sugar, gradually adding warm water. Add about half the flour and the salt and beat well. Add the remainder of the flour gradually to acquire a stiff dough. It may require more or less than 7 cups.
2. Knead 5 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3. Put dough into a buttered bowl and turn once to butter surface. Cover with a towel and let rise until doubled, keeping it between 80 and 90 degrees F during the entire time of rising, about 2 hours.
4. Punch down dough with your fist and divide into two parts. Knead and shape into 2 loaves and place into loaf pans. Cover again and allow dough to rise to top of pans.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes.

1 cup uncooked spelt or wheat berries
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms (about 3/4 ounce)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
3 cups thinly sliced leek (about 3 large)
6 cups Vegetable Stock or canned vegetable broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups hot cooked farfalle (about 1 cup uncooked bow tie pasta)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Recipe Directions
Place spelt in a medium saucepan; cover with water to 2 inches above spelt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and cook, uncovered, 1 hour or until tender. Drain.
Combine 2 cups boiling water and mushrooms in a bowl; cover and let stand 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms through a colander, reserving soaking liquid. Discard mushroom stems; thinly slice mushroom caps.

Combine parsley and garlic; divide into 2 (1/4-cup) portions.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add spelt, mushrooms, 1/4 cup parsley mixture, and leek; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved mushroom liquid, Vegetable Stock, wine, and tomato paste; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until the spelt is tender. Add pasta, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Stir in reserved 1/4 cup parsley mixture. Spoon soup into bowls; sprinkle with cheese, and drizzle with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil.

Yield: 6 servings

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped leek
1/2 cup chopped carrot
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup chopped country ham (about 1 ounce)
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked spelt (farro), rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 thyme sprig
2 cups chopped beet greens
2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Recipe Directions
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, leek, carrot, and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add ham; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in water and next 7 ingredients (water through thyme); bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add greens, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves, and garnish each serving with cheese.

Yield: 8 servings

Dressing:
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons vegetable broth
1 1/2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed

Salad:
1 1/4 cups uncooked spelt (farro), rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 cup (1-inch) cut green beans
3/4 cup (1/4-inch) sliced carrots
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/2 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4 cup pitted ripe olives
1/4 cup pitted green olives
1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped

Recipe Directions
To prepare dressing, combine the first 9 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
To prepare salad, combine spelt, 1 1/2 cups broth, and 1 cup water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes.

While the spelt is cooking, bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan, and add green beans and sliced carrots. Cook until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge into cold water. Drain again. Combine spelt, green beans, carrots, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing, and toss well to coat. Let stand for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

1 cup uncooked spelt
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup minced fresh onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot
1/2 cup red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup (1-inch) sliced green onions

Recipe Directions
1. Place spelt in a medium saucepan; cover with water to 2 inches above grain. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook, uncovered, 1 hour or until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add carrot, red pepper, and chicken; cook 5 minutes. Stir in spelt, sesame oil, and pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in soy sauce and green onions.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

1 cup uncooked spelt or wheat berries
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms (about 3/4 ounce)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
3 cups thinly sliced leek (about 3 large)
6 cups Vegetable Stock or canned vegetable broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups hot cooked farfalle (about 1 cup uncooked bow tie pasta)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Recipe Directions
Place spelt in a medium saucepan; cover with water to 2 inches above spelt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and cook, uncovered, 1 hour or until tender. Drain.
Combine 2 cups boiling water and mushrooms in a bowl; cover and let stand 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms through a colander, reserving soaking liquid. Discard mushroom stems; thinly slice mushroom caps.

Combine parsley and garlic; divide into 2 (1/4-cup) portions.

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add spelt, mushrooms, 1/4 cup parsley mixture, and leek; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved mushroom liquid, Vegetable Stock, wine, and tomato paste; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until the spelt is tender. Add pasta, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Stir in reserved 1/4 cup parsley mixture. Spoon soup into bowls; sprinkle with cheese, and drizzle with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups soup, 1 tablespoon cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon olive oil)

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped leek
1/2 cup chopped carrot
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup chopped country ham (about 1 ounce)
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked spelt (farro), rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 thyme sprig
2 cups chopped beet greens
2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Recipe Directions
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, leek, carrot, and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add ham; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in water and next 7 ingredients (water through thyme); bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add greens, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves, and garnish each serving with cheese.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups soup and 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese)