What is wheat flour?
Flour and semolina (or semolina) are flours obtained by processing the seeds obtained through the wheat production cycle.
... hints of etymology ...
Wheat - in Latin frumentum, from the verb fruor, which means to enjoy or enjoy;
Triticum - always from the Latin, from the verb tero, which means to thresh - to pound - to mince.
While durum wheat semolina or semolina is mainly used in the production of pasta, soft wheat flour (especially type 00) is used essentially in bread making.
Durum wheat and soft wheat are such cereals Triticum, belonging to the family of Grasses; the term Triticum embraces a multitude of varieties of wheat but, for the mixture of pasta produced on an industrial level, it is NECESSARY to use those belonging to the branch of dicoccoides, while for the dough of bread and pizza (leavened), it is advisable to use those belonging to the branch of spelled.
Types of wheat or wheat or Triticum - differentiate durum wheat from soft wheat
First classification, by botanical characteristics of the plant and the ear:
- Triticum or wheat or wheat - HARD: is a set of species (dicoccum, turgidum, durum, polonicum) characterized by dense ears, culm (called stem) with pith and genetic makeup of 28 chromosomes.
- Triticum or wheat or wheat - SOFT: is a set of species belonging to the family of spelled or large spelled (compactum, vulgare, aestivum and capitatum) most suitable for baking and characterized by a loose ear, an empty stem (without pith) and a DIPLOID genetic set of 42 chromosomes.
Second classification, for structural characteristics of the seed:
- Wheat clothes: they are wheat with dressed kernels and fragile rachis; includes the 3 farri: Triticum monococcum, dicoccum And spelled.
- Undressed wheat: they are wheats with bare kernels and consistent rachis; comprehends: Triticum vulgare or aestivum, durum, turgidum, polonicum. Except for the vulgar or aestivum (which is the most widespread, especially in the crops of temperate rather than hot and arid regions), CURRENTLY the undressed wheat HAVE A MUCH MORE AGRO-FOOD USE " LIMITED compared to those dressed.
In short: wheat production cycle
Wheat is a cereal that can be grown at all latitudes and altitudes (up to 1,200-1,400m); in central-northern Italy there has always been a prevalence of soft wheat crops, while durum wheat crops are preferred in southern Italy.
The ideal soil for the cultivation of wheat is deep, permeable, medium clayey and of medium fertility, even if the wheat adapts excellently to almost all types of soil (except for those that are too nitrogenous or compact). NB .: The Triticum considerably impoverishes the soil, therefore, its production cycle requires periodic rotation with other renewal crops.
The agricultural production of wheat includes 9 essential steps: tillage of the land (extraordinary working of the uncultivated land), plowing (reduces the compactness of the ground), sowing (seed spread), weeding (cutting and surface mixing of the soil), anti-parasitic (chemicals useful for the fight against parasites such as molds), weeding (weeding), harvest (cutting of mature grass), threshing (it is a first separation of the seeds from the ears and the stems), storage (takes place in silos and / or warehouses with 13% humidity and average and constant temperature) NB. The distinction between good and bad seed production is estimated by the integrity of the crop and the final yield of the crop; to be profitable, grain production should reach at least 30 times the weight of the seeds used in sowing.
Preparation of the flour
As regards the production of pasta, we specify that the product obtained from the grinding and sifting of durum wheat is simply called SEMOLINA or SEMOLATO of durum wheat, while for Flour it means the fruit of the grinding and sifting of the Wheat.
The flour for pasta is obtained by grinding the seeds and sieving the pseudo-wheat flour - wheat - Triticum.
There grinding it is the crumbling of the seeds until a homogeneous compound with well-determined physical and granulometric characteristics is obtained, which is carried out by means of stone, roller or mill grinders.
There sifting instead, it differs in various degrees of sieve: the first sieve divides the bran, the second sieve separates the ranza and the remainder of the processing takes the name of fine flour.
Flour classification
According to the degree of refining, flour and semolina / granulated can be classified into:
- Whole wheat: the seed is ground while preserving the coating membranes; it is rich in bran and contains more proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals - used for the production of wholemeal pasta or bread
- Type 1 and type 2: it is thin-grained, with less bran, therefore with less protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals - used for the production of bread and pizza
- Type 0: it is thin-grained, with very little bran, therefore with even less protein, fiber, vitamins and mineral salts - used for the production of bread and pizza
- Type 00: it is impalpable, without bran and totally white, it is richer in starch but decidedly poor in proteins, fiber, vitamins and mineral salts (it is the most used for the production of pasta) - as well as for pasta, it is used for the production of bread, pizza and used as a thickener.
