Flour and semolina are basic ingredients widely used in cooking, especially in bread making and in the preparation of focaccia, pizzas and others sweet leavened products and savoury: although they are often found in our pantries, we probably don’t know them so well, so much so that with the first term we tend to indicate in a general way the result of the grinding not only wheat, but also other cereals or dried fruit. two productshowever, they are distinguished by substantial differences which start from the raw material, influencing determining characteristics such as theI waitthe property and the intended uses. With the soft wheat it is realized Flourwhile from durum wheat has its origins in semolinaeach with its own different varieties: starting from this assumption, let’s go and discover them.
1. Origin
Both flour and semolina are the result of grinding and of thesifting (or the level of sifting of the grain) of wheat. The first refers to the processing of the soft wheatThe Triticum aestivumwhich is mainly grown in the regions of Northern Italyas it prefers temperate-cold climates, where there is no lack of rainfall. The grains are rounded, soft and fragile, which makes them easier to crush. The semolinainstead, comes from durum wheat (Triticum durum), more widespread in the Centre and in the south of the Peninsula, with drier and warmer climatic conditions and is characterized by having resistant and glassy grains. The grinding can take place according to industrial methodsor more traditional ones, like the one called “to stone”, where the grains are crushed and broken up between two stones, thus preserving the organoleptic qualities of flours.
2. Visual features
The differences between the two can be perceived even with the naked eye, especially by observing color And texture. Soft wheat flour, depending on the degree of refinementcan be pure white or ivory-beigealways with uniform nuances, without darker dots. Durum wheat semolina is immediately recognisable by its amber yellow colordue to the presence of natural carotenoids. As regards the consistencythe first to the touch is fine, soft, like a dust almost impalpable, while the second is sandyrough and grainy.
3. Types
Both of these wheat-derived products are available in different varietiesdepending on the degree of processing of the grain.
Types of soft wheat flour
00 flour: in the common classification of flour it is the bright white one, the most refined one that contains almost exclusively the endosperm of the wheat, excluding the bran and the germ (where the nutrients are found). It is the one most used for desserts, fresh pasta and as a thickener in sauces and creams.
Flour 0: less refined than the previous one, it still loses most of its nutritional principles. It is mainly used for bread and leavened products such as pizza and focaccia.
Flour 1 and 2: They contain a higher percentage of bran and are ideal for leavened products and recipes with a rustic mood.
THEfull: whole wheat flour contains all parts of the wheat grain, including the germ and bran, and is the one that has a higher fiber content and the color is darker. Compared to the previous ones, it is more complicated to work in leavened products, as it has less gluten.
Types of durum wheat semolina
Durum wheat semolina: It is the basic product of the milling of durum wheat, characterized by a medium granularity and an intense yellow color. It is mainly used for the production of dry pasta and for the couscous: has its own full version.
Re-milled semolina: This is a semolina that undergoes a second grinding, resulting smoother, similar to flour, but still maintaining well-separated grains. In this case too, it can be wholemeal. Excellent for bread, focaccia, fresh pasta and pizza.
Semolina: as a texture it is halfway between the two just described. It can be of wheat (the most popular), but also other cereals, such as rice and millet. It is the protagonist of the Roman-style gnocchitraditional sweets and highly digestible soups.
4. Property
The grain of wheat It is a source of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals, but the milling and refining process plays a fundamental role in defining the final nutritional properties. Theendospermwhich constitutes the majority of the grain, is rich in starch and proteins, while the branon the outside, contains fiber, B vitamins and minerals such as iron and magnesium. The germfinally, it is the internal part where vitamins are still present, especially those of the E group, good fatty acids (omega-6 and 9) and antioxidants.
There Flourespecially in its more “cleaned” versions such as 00, is mainly composed of endosperm: this means that it has a high carb content And proteinsbut one lower presence of fibersvitamins and minerals compared to less processed flours (like 1 and 2) or the wholemeal: the latter are those that offer a Healthier nutritional profile. The semolinahowever, has a slightly different composition: durum wheat is more protein of the tender one and sees a high quantity of carotenoidswhich perform a protective action against free radicals. Finally, it is a good source of fiber, especially in its wholemeal version, and has a glycemic index lower than refined flours: IG 85 for 00 and IG 60 for durum wheat semolina.
5. Uses in cooking
There Flour and the semolina have different intended uses: to divide them into two major categorieswe can say that the first one is much more versatile, as it is excellent for making bread, sweets, cookies, pizzas, focaccia, fresh pastabut also to be used as a thickener in sauces, creams and gravies, while the second is the undisputed protagonist of the dry pasta or of typical breads of Southern ItalyThe two raw materials act differently on the dough structure depending on the presence of gluten and of the force (W)which determines the ability to retain gases and absorb liquids.
There 00 flour it is chosen for products that do not require long leavening and for preparations that must guarantee a result crumblylike the shortcrust pastryWe also find it at the base of the fresh pastalike tagliatelle or tortellini, where it gives a smooth puff pastry And subtleeasily workable. The flour 0 It is often used for bread and pizza dough, ensuring good elasticity and excellent leavening capacity. The Neapolitan pizza It is one of the most iconic recipes that exploits the ability to create a soft and airy dough on the inside and crispy on the outside. The more rustic flourslike the whole wheat flourthey are more tenacious, less extensibleas they see a lower presence of gluten: they are appreciated in the artisanal bread making because they are tastier, more fragrant and rich in nutrients, but don’t expect a honeycomb bread. Otherwise, go ahead with cookies And piadinas.
On the other side, the durum wheat semolina develops a more rigid gluten meshwhich tends to be hardly malleable: is the star of the dry pastasuch as spaghetti, rigatoni and penne, typical of the Italian tradition, but also fresh pasta such as orecchiette. The re-milled semolina It is widely used for the production of sturdy and full-bodied loaveslike those of the Altamura breadrenowned for its crispy crust, amber color, compact crumb and long shelf life. There is also space for breading for fried foods, tastier and crispier.
6. Terminology
Although in common parlance “flour” refers mainly to the product derived from soft wheat, the term has a broader meaningwhich does not happen for semolina, except for semolina which, as seen, in addition to being made from wheat can come from rice, millet and more. In cooking, “flour” now refers to any product obtained from fine shredding of cereals And legumes. In addition to wheat, there are powders obtained from other cereals such as corn, riceoats and barley, but also from chickpeas and from lentils. Furthermore, there are those derived from the Grinding of dried fruitlike flour almonds and hazelnuts, real must-haves in pastry making. An interesting variant is the coconut flourobtained from the dried pulp of the fruit, widely used in gluten-free recipes.
