Farro

Farro (Triticum dicoccum) is a variety of hard wheat, an unhybridized ancestor of modern wheat recognized as the first known cereal in Western history. High in vitamins, mineral, and fiber, it was an important food of the ancient Etruscans, Egyptians, and Romans. Roman soldiers were given rations of farro, with which they made thick soups flavored with dried pork and vegetables. Ground into a paste and cooked into porridge, farro was also the major ingredient in puls, the ancient forerunner of polenta. With the development of other grains after the fall of the Roman Empire, the cultivation of farro was restricted to regions in central Italy, but it has regained popularity in recent years.