Perciasacchi

It is a very ancient grain, it belongs to the subspecies of turanic grains, cultivated in the Khorasan region in north east Iran for millennia. Over time it spreads throughout the Mediterranean basin, finding particularly favorable conditions in southern Italy. In Sicily there is historical information since 1809, when Abbot Paolo Balsamo wrote his “Travel Journal made in Sicily and particularly in the Modica region by the Abb. Paolo Balsamo” (Palermo, Real Stamperia 1809, p. 50). It is called with different names, but in our territory it is recognized above all with the name of Perciasacchi, from the dialectal verb perciare, bucare (with the variations of Strazzavisazzi, Perciabisazzi) for the elongated and pointed shape of its grain that pierced the jute bags with which it was transported.
We grow it in the hills, in fairly ventilated and cool fields. This allows us to completely avoid pesticides (even those allowed by organic cultivation). It has important and varied nutritional properties: a high protein value and a low glycemic index, mineral salts, vitamins E and B3, and also a significant presence of selenium, an element that brings an antioxidant effect to our body. When used in the kitchen, Perciasacchi flour is particularly suitable for pasta. But we, like all other grains, in varying proportions, also use it for bread and pizza.