Dive into the true flavours of Italian tradition with this fresh pasta made at home with wholemeal spelt flour. Spelt, an ancient grain with excellent nutritional properties, gives the pasta a rustic, deep flavour with notes of toasted grain that recall the scent of the Veneto countryside. This recipe is Italian cooking in a nutshell: simple, good ingredients turned with skill into dishes that tell the story of a place and its traditions.
Fresh pasta made with wholemeal spelt flour is especially good on autumn evenings, when you want something substantial yet light, or for special occasions when you want to surprise guests with something honest and out of the ordinary. The slightly grainy texture of the wholemeal flour and its amber colour give the pasta a rustic, inviting look. To explore the richness of Italian culinary tradition, see the page on Italian cooking on Wikipedia or discover the Slow Food presidia on the Slow Food website.
Wholemeal spelt, with its complex aromatic profile, lends itself beautifully to simple dressings: a thread of extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs or a light tomato sauce. Its versatility suits it to traditional preparations as much as to freer, contemporary readings.
The History of Spelt in Italian Tradition
Spelt, considered the oldest grain cultivated by humans, has deep roots in Italian country culture, especially in central and northern Italy. Already eaten by the ancient Romans, who held it to be a sacred food, spelt has kept its place in the Mediterranean diet thanks to its remarkable nutritional properties and how easy it is to digest. In the Veneto, spelt growing found fertile ground in the hills, where climate and soil bring out its character.
Stone-milling wholemeal spelt flour keeps the grain's nutrients intact, preserving the germ and the bran that hold fibre, vitamins and essential minerals. This traditional process, which follows natural rhythms, is typical of the historic mills of the Veneto. To learn more about Italy's ancient grain varieties, see the Wikipedia page on spelt and the biodiversity projects on the Slow Food Foundation website.
Ingredients
- 300 g Spelta Wholemeal Spelt Flour
- 3 medium eggs
- 1 pinch of fine salt
- Durum wheat semolina, as needed, for the work surface
Method
- Sift the wholemeal spelt flour onto a marble or wooden work surface, shaping it into a well with a good wide hollow in the middle.
- Break the eggs into the centre of the well and add the pinch of salt. With a fork, start beating the eggs, gradually drawing in the flour from the edges.
- When the mixture starts to come together, keep kneading by hand for about 10 minutes, until you have a smooth, even ball of dough. If the dough is too dry, add a teaspoon of water; if too sticky, add a little semolina.
- Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This step is essential: it develops the gluten and makes the pasta more elastic.
- Roll the dough out with a rolling pin or pasta machine to the thickness you want. For tagliatelle or pappardelle, 2–3 mm is ideal.
- Cut the pasta into your preferred shape and leave it to dry for 10–15 minutes on a rolling pin or a rack before cooking.
- Cook in plenty of salted water for 2–3 minutes (depending on thickness) and drain al dente, saving a little cooking water for the sauce.
Wine and Beer Pairings
A sheet of pasta is a base, not a finished dish: the sauce decides the wine. But wholemeal spelt is not a neutral flour — it brings hazelnut, bread crust and a roughness you feel between your teeth — and that narrows the field. You want a wine with salinity, to carry the grain, and with the acidity the egg in the dough calls for.
The White We Recommend
Basaltino Garganega Verona IGT — Redalmo — Garganega's bitter almond and spelt's hazelnut belong to the same family of flavours: set side by side they add up instead of cancelling out. The basalt soil brings a mineral salinity that gives depth even to a simple dressing — butter and sage, vegetables, a white ragù — and the acidity cuts through the egg in the dough. Serve at 10–12 °C.
If the Sauce Is Meat
Allegretto Valpolicella D.O.C. — Italo Cescon — With a ragù or a tomato sauce the pasta wants a red, but one that does not flatten it: wholemeal spelt already has its own astringency, and a big tannin would double it. Valpolicella is light in body, smells of cherry and brings the acidity tomato needs. Serve at 15–16 °C.
Want to know more about the grape? our guide to Valpolicella
Craft Beer as an Alternative
Witty Weizen Beer — birra di frumento — Wheat on spelt: a wheat beer is the most literal pairing there is with pasta made from an ancient grain, and it works because the wheat malt brings the same bready roundness without adding bitterness. The fine carbonation cleans away egg and butter. Serve at 5–6 °C.
Want to know more about the style? wheat beers
Serve It With
To round off your plate of wholemeal spelt pasta, we suggest the Yeast-Free Crackers with Rosemary, whose balsamic aroma goes beautifully with the earthy notes of spelt, or the Selection of 5 assorted yeast-free crackers for a fuller and more varied tasting.
Variations and Tips
- For an even more rustic version, replace part of the spelt flour with buckwheat flour: the pasta comes out deeper in flavour and darker in colour.
- Work finely chopped herbs such as rosemary or sage into the dough to perfume the pasta further.
- For naturally coloured pasta, work blanched and well-squeezed spinach, or tomato purée, into the dough.
- If you prefer a more delicate texture, use a mix of wholemeal spelt flour and plain flour in a 2:1 ratio.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is wholemeal spelt pasta suitable for coeliacs?
No: spelt contains gluten, although less than common wheat. It is therefore not suitable for anyone with coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity.
How long does home-made fresh pasta keep?
Fresh pasta keeps for 2–3 days in the fridge, wrapped in cling film. For longer storage you can freeze it after dusting it lightly with flour.
Can I dry wholemeal spelt pasta?
Yes, but it takes longer than durum wheat semolina pasta. Dry it in a cool, dry place and turn it from time to time so that no mould forms.
