Traditional bread Typical sweet cakes and savoury tarts are still baked, often using traditional country recipes which have been passed down through the generations. In the past, they were frequently made at times of celebration, such as local or religious festivals. Examples include the “ciambellone” (a sweet Easter bread), the “dolce di massa” (Mass cake), the “torta al formaggio” (cheese tart), “torta al testo” (a type of stuffed focaccia), and “chiodini all'anice” (aniseed cakes). Spelt Spelt (“farro”) is considered the ancestor of cereals. It can be divided into three types: “Farro Maggiore” (Triticum Spelta), “Farro Minore” (Triticum Monococcum), and the variety nowadays considered as true spelt (Triticum Dicoccum).

It has been cultivated since ancient times and was generally used as a staple cereal until the discovery of wheat. Spelt is a rustic cereal, typically grown on poor soil and in mountain regions. It is low in fat, but rich in fibre and mineral salts. Spelt is produced and sold either as flour, in whole grains or as ground meal. It can be eaten in soup, either alone or together with other cereals, or cooked with potatoes or mushrooms. Spelt can be used to bake biscuits, or to make excellent polenta. The whole grains taste very good if boiled and then seasoned. Pearl spelt is an excellent substitute for rice.