French people are known for our love of bread. But in France, it is easy to access. Not in the United States. Therefore, since I have grown more sensitive to grain quality, I gave up white flour and started making Einkorn sourdough. I might never have developed a love of sourdough had I not had to make my own! However also got curious about making bread with Kamut for its nutty taste and beautiful golden color.

I based this recipe on a sourdough Einkorn boule recipe I have been using for years. After a few tweaks I got it to work with Kamut. Bonus: Kamut may need less fermentation to shape better. You will love this deep yellow, whole wheat loaf and its nutty flavor. If you want to experience the full taste of Kamut, try the whole grain loaf ! This one is moist, filling, and marries very well with sweet jam or fruit spread or savory fried eggs . If you love the full taste of grain, you will not want to dilute it with other more neutral grains!

What is Kamut?

Kamut wheat is also called Khorasan wheat – refer to book on Kamut (Grain by Grain: A Quest to Revive Ancient Wheat, Rural Jobs, and Healthy Food )

It is one of these ancient grains that is believed to originate from the fertile crescent of today’s middle east. Some believe it to have been the grain grown by Egyptians in ancient times on the banks of the Nile, when the Nile still would have high and low tide seasons. The name Kamut is actually the ancient Egyptian word for Wheat. Why that name? The wheat berries were reportedly retrieved in the 1950S from the tomb of an ancient Pharao, given to an American flyer who sent it to his father, a grower in Montana. It is believe to originate from the Fertile Crescent of Irak Iran and Central Asia.  It could also be a cross of triticum polonicum and durum wheat.  

Once it started being grown in Montana in the 1980s by father and son farmers, some people realized that while their digestive system did not do well on modern regular wheat, they would not have the same problem with Kamut. It was therefore spotted as an alternative to modern wheat.

Want to learn more about Kamut ? Read or listen to Bob Quinn’s fascinating book “Grain by Grain”!

Learn more about ancient grain Einkorn in my post on tomato tart!

Kamut or Khorasan? 

Both names refer to the same ancient wheat variety. The main difference is that the Kamut is the trademarked brand name for Khorasan wheat. The trademark was an idea of a Montana grower, Bob Quinn, meant to preserve the grain from possible crossing and hybridation. Kamut is subject to very strict rules when it comes to growing the grain. Growing Kamut follows a very strict 9-Year cycle, it is grown after a variety of different plants meant to regenerate the soil and make it highly rich and nutritious. This agricultural protocol effectively makes the grain into a highly nutritious food, some refer to it as nutraceutical, i.e. the type of food that truly becomes your medication! Kamut is also certified organic. 

Health Benefits of Kamut 

This ancient grain is considered super food. Among other benefits ( you can read a more thorough article by Dr Axe), it is much higher in protein than modern wheat (40%), and very rich in trace minerals like zinc ( for the immune system, skin health, hormone balance), magnesium ( muscles) manganese and selenium ( detox) , phosphorus ( detox, kidney health). It contains many polyphenols and healthy fatty acids. 

Although it is very high in protein, it has less protein than Einkorn berries ( Kamut: 15g/100g vs. Einkorn which contains 18g/100g).

What is the love of Kamut about ?​

Nutritious and clean

Kamut is a highly nutritious grain, compared to very nutritionally poor conventional wheat of today.  It is also clean and organic.

Modern wheat was hybridized to grow shorter, with shallower root systems, and grow high glutenous berries. As a consequence, is much less nutritious and has very high gluten content, which is very inflammatory to our bodies. These days, a lot of people have digestive issues triggered by modern wheat. It is related to the way it was crossed, hybridized and grown with heavy doses of pesticides, and is processed into flour. Kamut is a good alternative for people with digestive issues.

Nutty Bright Yellow Grain

KamutⓇ is grown in the United states according to a very strict protocol that makes into a very rich , nutrient dense grain. It has a very rich, nutty, buttery taste. Grind your whole grain KamutⓇ flour yourself and you will see a very light, very thirsty flour! It is recognizable by is bright yellow color. It has its own specific taste. Growing up eating ancient grains, you start liking different textures and tastes the variety of grains provides, and start experimenting with them.

KamutⓇ / Khorasan is thirstier, it makes fluffier, more moist bread or bakery product. However it is trickier to work with so many recipes mix  Khorasan flour with modern wheat or organic all purpose flour.

Tip

To preserve any grain nutrient density, you can purchase wheat berries and grind them yourself with a good stone grain mill. Firstly, you will save money. Second, you will avoid oxydation and preserve nutrients. If you grind often enough, it is a worthy investment. I ground mine for many years with the Kitchen Aid milling attachment and just invested in a Komo grain mill, it is so worth it. You can taste the difference in the flour and the texture of your bread.

How to cook Kamut wheat berries

You can boil or steam KamutⓇ/ Khorasan berries in a bowl of hot water, and eat it as you would eat rice! 

In both cases, cook in a pot or stainless steel bowl; one cup KamutⓇ/ Khorasan berries for 3 cups of water. Steam for about 20-30 minutes, boil for 30-40.

Kamut Sourdough Bread

Why would I try Kamut sourdough bread rather than Einkorn?​

During the Covid shutdown, ancient grain Einkorn, the original wheat known to be low in gluten, very nutritious and low inflammation, became very popular. Why is Kamut not as popular?

May Einkorn be it is easier to work with.? What is certain is that the book “Einkorn” by Carla Bartolucci, and her company Jovial Foods and Bionaturae contributed to make it popular. Besides, they are not that many books out there with Kamut recipes, or 100% Kamut bread.

What is tricky about this sourdough bread recipe?

Kamut is a very thirsty type of grain. it is tricky to dose the amount of water. Also, it raises very airy, which after dense Einkorn is confusing.

Result in a very moist, very tasty dough . 

By contrast, Einkorn makes for a denser, easier shaped dough.

May be that is why most Kamut bread are made with a mix of different ancient grain flours.

I wanted to try Kamut only, and I really liked it. It has a more tasty dough, moist, nutty and more fruity.

Denser bread

Both Einkorn and Kamut loaves tend to be denser types of bread, because of their weak levels of gluten. I do like a denser bread so I don’t have a problem with it. It is easier to obtain a fluffier loaf with Kamut than Einkorn. try and see if you like it!

Here are the steps to my Kamut sourdough bread:

– You do not need a starter levain. Use the starter directly.

– Turn the dough 4 times at 20 minutes intervals (i.e. for a little over an hour);

– Ferment the bread dough at room temperature for 4 to 5 hours, or start at room temperature an hour and overnight for 7-8 hours. I do not recommend refrigerating kamut dough in the colder weather. So far i had to watch it more often after refrigerating, because Kamut didn’t restart rising for many hours after getting out of the fridge. I find watching the bread rise after refrigerating more challenging as I get very busy or need to get out for kids activity. Ideally, I make the whole bread the same day with a refreshed starter.

– The dough rise is approximately like the one of Einkorn, 2/3 hours approximately after stretch and fold.

– Shape on a clean work surface, turn on seam side and lay in floured proofing basket. Flour the top and cover with a linen cloth.

– Proofing in a banneton takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour;

– Lay the bread dough into the dutch oven on a piece of parchment paper. Cut the surface of the dough lightly with a thin blade. Cover.

– Cook the bread in a dutch oven in very hot oven: pre heat at 500F and cook at 450F for 40 minutes. The dutch oven sears the bread and cooks it at constant temperature;

– Cook until golden brown,

– Tip: After cooking and cooling, wrap it into your linen cloth where you raised it and it will reabsorb good ferments ! Reactivate the good bacteria your fermented bread!

This is a truly delicious loaf! Just look at these kids enjoying dipping in extra virgin olive oil and salt.

Equipment needed

You will need a large mixing bowl to mix the dough. This link to the one set I own and use all the time. Largest bowl is over 4 qt large, perfect for sourdough. To make levain, I use 20oz Corelle ceramic bowls with a lid ( that you have to buy separately). These are great, the perfect size and very convenient to keep on the counter or in the fridge, even stacking.

You will also need a dough scraper and a large dutch oven (I use this one), a banneton or proofing basket (8.5 inch), a digital food scale (critical when baking with Einkorn and Kamut), plastic wrap or beewax saran wrap ( to avoid plastic near food and disposable items).

You probably already grow your own sourdough starter. I use my Einkorn sourdough starter to bake Kamut sourdough bread.

Now go to the Kamut Sourdough bread recipe

Savor the nutty flavor of Kamut, which is different from Einkorn: lighter, fluffier, more moist.

Bon appétit!