Semolina Pasta

Let’s talk PASTA!!!

Did you know that the majority of the pasta you buy at the store is made from semolina? Have you ever heard of semolina? Most American’s have not heard of this type of flour and probably don’t even know they eat it regularly.

So what IS semolina?

Semolina is a type of flour made from ground durum wheat. It has a slight yellow color and like most Italian flours it can be confusing to know which one to buy. Am I right?

Instead of going into an in depth Italian flour lesson (which I would not be qualified to teach) I am just going to tell you a few basics so you can know what to look for when purchasing flour to make semolina pasta.

#1- If you can, always buy flour FROM ITALY. It’s a better quality- that’s all there is to it. Look for the words “product of Italy” on the package.

#2- You may see the flour called both Semolina and Semola rimacinata. They are both durum wheat but are milled differently. Semolina is more course, similar to corn meal. Semola rimacinata is much finer and softer. When making pasta you want the more fine milled durum wheat which will give your pasta dough that silky smooth texture. “Rimacinata” literally means twice milled this is the key word you want to look for to make sure you are getting that finely milled durum wheat.

#3-Don’t panic. If all you can find is Bob’s Redmill Semolina flour it will do the trick. You can still make this simple pasta recipe without the absolute perfect flour. Although it does make a difference to someone who is an avid pasta maker/eater, it will still be 100x better than any pasta you can buy at the store.

Generally, semolina pasta dough is used for SHAPED pasta because it is a more rigid dough and will hold it’s shape. Think farfalle, orecchiette, fusilli, etc. Now-that doesn’t mean you cannot make spaghetti or ravioli with semolina dough but that is usually reserved for an egg dough.

Semolina pasta has simple ingredients but don’t be fooled…it takes some work to get it to come together. It requires a significant amount of kneading and stretching for the flour to combine and the gluten to activate and create a smooth soft dough. I have found allowing the dough to rest further activates the gluten and improves the texture.

Now, let’s not get intimidated by this. It’s a labor of love but I promise you it is worth it. Making hand shaped pasta is one of my very favorite forms of therapy. It is a family affair at my house and we all look forward to eating our unique masterpieces.