Free Bread Matters by Andrew Whitley

diet.
It adds a sweet, slightly malty flavour to bread.
It is digestible and nutritious.
    Oats
    The gluten status of oats is still a matter of some controversy. Although the quantity of gluten in oats was always known to be small, they were traditionally off-limits to coeliacs (people with a serious gluten intolerance). Then several studies, particularly in Finland, showed that oats could be tolerated without harm by most coeliac adults and children. However, there is not complete unanimity in the scientific community and the current position of the UK Coeliac Society is that ‘moderate amounts of oats may be consumed by most coeliacs without risk’, but that severe coeliacs should avoid them 2 .
    One further reason for coeliacs being suspicious of oats is that they are often processed in factories that also handle wheat and may be inadvertently cross-contaminated.
    Nutritionally, oats are unquestionably a valuable cereal and therefore a good addition to mixed grain breads. Lacking any effective gluten, they will contribute to flavour and texture but not to volume or aeration. However, the high natural oil content of oats can contribute to a softening of the crumb. An addition of less than 10 per cent oat flour or meal can give an impression of extra lightness even if, objectively, the loaf volume remains pretty much the same. Oat fibre, or oat bran, is available in some wholefood shops and can be used in the dough or for dipping or dusting the whole loaf. Similarly, oat flakes (preferably rolled oats or ‘jumbo’ oats, which have been less processed than porridge oats) make a striking addition to the dough; if used to decorate the crust, they benefit from being exposed to a toasting effect, which really brings out their flavour.
    Spelt
    One of the ‘covered’ wheats – i.e. those whose husk does not fall off during threshing – spelt is the best-known ‘alternative’ source of flour, particularly for people who feel they cannot tolerate standard wheat. Science does not support the theory that spelt is ‘better’ because it is an ancient precursor of wheat, untainted by intensive plant breeding. However, there is no doubt that many people find spelt easier to digest and this is surely reason enough to give it a try. It is generally higher in protein than common wheat, with the proviso that protein levels for all types of wheat are dependent on cropping conditions.
    Spelt flour is available usually as wholemeal, though a white version is now beginning to appear. It looks and performs much like ordinary wheat flour, though it tends to have a slightly weaker gluten than the strongest breadmaking wheats. It can have a bitter aftertaste, which may be simply a consequence of oxidation in flour that has been stored for too long. Wholemeal spelt has lively populations of natural yeasts and bacteria and produces a vigorous sourdough culture in a shorter time than ordinary wheat flour.
    Kamut
    Considered to be an ancient relative of durum wheat, Kamut is the registered tradename for a cereal derived from 36 grains, mailed by an American airman in Egypt to his father in Montana in the 1950s. Its production is always organic and is controlled by the Quinn family. Kamut is generally higher in protein than wheat but with poorer-quality gluten. Like spelt, it can often be tolerated by people with sensitivities to modern wheats, lending support to the proposition that plant breeders, in their striving to improve yield and gluten quality, have overlooked nutritional quality and palatability.
    Einkorn and emmer
    These two ancient precursors of wheat seem to be enjoying something of a revival, particularly in Germany. If you get the chance, you may be interested to try making bread with grains that are not very different from those eaten by our Paleolithic ancestors as long as 18,000 years ago 3 . Einkorn is the older one, and there is some evidence that it is not toxic to people with coeliac disease. Emmer became the dominant wheat