It is called “Grano dei morti”, also known in dialect as “U grn cutt”, the ancient Apulian dessert typical of the province of Foggia prepared for the Commemoration of the Dead. The recipe involves the use of pomegranate, symbol of abundance and fertility, and blessed wheat, symbol of resurrection, but also of walnuts, chocolate and delicious vincotto.
It is somewhat curious that the other name by which the dessert is known, “Colva”, echoes the “ColivÄ” of the Romanian tradition, a typical wheat-based dessert of the dead.
The recipe is still made at home to pay homage to the deceased on the day dedicated to them, November 2nd. Curious to find out how to prepare it?
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Wheat of the Dead: the traditional recipe
Let’s find out how to prepare the Wheat of the Dead by following the traditional recipe step by step from the “DIY Recipes” YouTube channel.
Ingredients:
Preparation
The variations of Wheat of the Dead and some advice for preparing it
There is no single version of Grano dei morti: depending on the families and areas of Puglia, toasted almonds, raisins, candied citron or cloves are added. The vincotto also changes: there are those who use the one obtained from grape must and those who prefer cooked figs. For those who want to follow the more traditional preparation, the wheat grains are left to soak for up to three days, changing the water regularly, and then boiled until tender. For a faster version, you can use already cooked wheat, such as that used for the Neapolitan pastiera. A small precaution concerns the vincotto: it is better to add it only when serving, to prevent the mixture from hardening. Furthermore, since 2001, the Grano dei morti has been recognized among the Traditional Agri-food Products (PAT) of Puglia.
