Russello or rossello wheat is a very ancient variety of durum wheat typical of the Sicilian land.
It is a high spike grain, which rises almost two meters from the ground, and fragile, reddish in color, cultivated in arid land in the hinterland and in the provinces of Agrigento, Caltanissetta, Palermo, Ragusa and Trapani.
From this grain we get a flour used for many Sicilian products, from pasta to bread and, together with the perhaps best known Timilia wheat, it is one of the 50 and more types of ears that Sicily gives us.
Paradoxically, it would seem to derive from the cold Russian or Balkan lands, which subsequently spread to the United States.
How to use russello wheat and its properties
Russello wheat is still used today in Sicily for the production of hard bread and bronze-drawn pasta, both very digestible and resistant, tasty, fragrant and rich in proteins.
Like ancient grains, this wheat is less refined, has not been altered, and has less gluten than other grains.
In particular the crust of the bread made with russello flour takes on a reddish color and smells of grass and sun and has a unique consistency.
It is normally recommended to mix it with other less tough flours or to use cold water for baking. This type of wheat is also used for the production of sweets and other baked goods.
Where is the Russello wheat
On average, a kilo of stone- milled russello wheat flour costs around 5 euros. Half a kilo of russello wheat pasta costs about 4 euros.
You can buy, both pasta and flour, in organic shops and specialized in local or Sicilian products, or via the internet directly from the producer . In this way, in addition to having a genuine and healthy product, small businesses are also helped.
