‘Il grano dei morti’ is an ancient dessert traditionally eaten in November to mark the anniversary of the remembrance of the dead.
It is called “grano” precisely because, amongst the few simple ingredients that go into it, the main one is wheat, to which are added: walnuts and pomegranate seeds dressed with vincotto syrup made from grape must or figs.
The name
Although “grain of the dead” may sound rather gloomy, it isn’t really! In fact, it evokes life, as all the ingredients used are part of the continuous cycle of life and death.
Recipe
Ingredients for three people:
- 100 g of wheat
- 1 pomegranate
- 9 walnuts
- 3 tablespoons of fig vincotto or grape must (or barley or rice malt, available from organic shops)
- Add chocolate chips or cinnamon and sugar to taste
- You can replace the wheat with buckwheat or brown rice (for coeliacs) or with barley or spelt
Preparation:
- Soak the wheat overnight (unless it is pre-cooked)
- Rinse it during the day and cook it in a saucepan covered with plenty of cold water. Cook it for one hour from the moment the water starts to boil (10 minutes or the time indicated on the packet for pre-cooked pasta). Leave it to cool and only then drain it.
- Garnish with chopped walnuts, pomegranate seeds and a generous amount of vincotto, then serve
If you decide to make a large batch, we recommend not seasoning all the wheat in advance, but keeping it in the fridge and seasoning it just before serving.
Interesting facts
Although the recipe for ‘wheat of the dead’ has come down to us through the Christian tradition, it is in fact of pagan origin (like almost all the sweets prepared for the Festival of the Dead).
The common thread linking these sweets is the presence of seeds, which have a clear symbolic meaning: rebirth. The seed represents new life, and so it conveys the hope of a bountiful harvest. Furthermore, the pomegranate seed symbolises not only abundance and fertility but also honesty and justice.
When seeds are sown, the seed is buried in the ground and must survive the harsh winter before it can sprout; this is why we call upon the dead to help look after it. In return, the living will look after the dead, visiting their graves, offering them food and a candle to light the way to the realm of the living and to help them return to their own.
The Celts regarded this period as a New Year: between 31 October and 1 November, the dead communicated with the living.
All Souls’ Day coincides with the end of the agricultural year, during the ploughing season and the final sowings: hence the celebration, as a way of giving thanks to the earth for the fruits it has already yielded and for those to come, in areas where the Greek Orthodox faith is widespread.
